Making a decision is different from making a choice. In making a decision, we consider the pros and cons. After analyzing everything, we would be able to come up into a decision. In making a choice, we know the pros and cons. However, we still do what we want to do and disregard everything.

Some of us are born with very little; some are fortunate enough to have it all. When I grew up, we did not have much. I had to hustle to get what I wanted... but I had that hunger for more and I dreamt big. I did not always make the right choices, but I learned from my mistakes and I kept on trying to improve myself and to become what I wanted to be.

I have learned that we have complete control over our own attitude. We decide how we feel, how we look at things, how we react.  Each of us has a choice; the choice to do as we may wish and as we want remains with us.

In life, it is all about choices we make. The direction of our lives comes down to the choices we choose. When we find inspiration, we need to take action for ourselves and for our loved ones. Even if it means making a hard choice, or cutting out something and leaving it in our past.

I have also learned to choose, to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete; I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinion of others.

Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk we should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing. A wise person makes his/her own decisions; an ignorant person follows public opinion. Here’s a beautiful parable of choices:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The content of our character is our choice. What we choose, day by day, what we think and what we do is whom we become. We must make a choice to take a chance or our life will never change.

By Tim Pedrosa


  

Tim