Are Our Lives Are Charted More by Small or Big Decisions?

Are our work and life determined by the big decisions, or more by the smaller choices we make consistently over time?

"The choices you make, make you." ~ Unknown

I saw today's quote on a team shirt at my daughter's track meet a while back, and it has really stuck with me. Do you believe its message?

Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on the "big" decisions, thinking they form the course of our lives: what college we attend, what job we take, whether or not we start the business, and so on.

Really, though, I've come to learn our lives are charted more by the small decisions we make (or don't make) on a daily basis:

Do I get up and start my day with journaling and meditation, or do I hit snooze?

Do I show up for the conference or event, or do I let the 'urgent' work take priority?

Do I tell my employee how much I appreciate his conscientiousness, or do I assume he knows?

Do I say Yes to the healthy-but-scary new adventure, or do I let fear rule my decisions?

Do I complain about the situation, or do I take action to change it?

Any one of these decisions might be made in a millisecond, but over time their effects add up - and eventually create your work and life experience.

This week, focus on making mindful decisions.

If we were awarded do-overs, we all likely have some decisions we'd make differently. We don't get to relive the past, but we can forge a new future.

Make conscious choices with your seemingly smaller decisions this week. Reconnect with your values, review your Purpose Statement, remind yourself what matters most to you. Then, choose in favor of these - over and over.

You'll appreciate the compound effect of your decisions in a year or so, when your life reflects the effects of the small decisions you've made over and over again!