The Undeniable Power of Small Decisions to Change the Landscape of Your Life.
It is the small choices no one sees that results in the big impact everyone wants. — Craig Groeschel
I vividly remember a decision I took many years ago. It seemed trivial at the time, but many years since, and I have that one decision to thank for the tremendous improvement I have enjoyed with respect to the habit of discipline and consistency.
What was the decision?
I used to covet certain habits in my late dad, and I wished for the day when I would consistently live my life in keeping with those habits.
Well! As you would have already guessed, it remained a wish for many years.
However, on this particular day, I was sitting right on the edge of my bed in my noiseless poorly lit room, lost in thoughts of self-assessment and judgement and right there I decided to start modelling myself on my dad.
I decided to inculcate one of his strongest and most consistent habit.
My late dad knew the exact location of all his stuff every time.
From his neckties to cufflinks, car keys, socks, teacup…you name it.
He could literally don a blindfold and still be able to make his way around his room to get whatsoever it was he needed without stress. It would always be there — at an exact spot — every time.
Unless of course I used it and … you know the rest!
He was so disciplined about order and arrangement. I was nothing like him sadly. So, I decided to pick up this habit and see how it goes.
It changed my life dramatically!
I decided that I would henceforth ensure my stuffs were orderly arranged (I had an exact location for everything, just like him), and that I would return anything I use to it’s exact location immediately after using.
You might be thinking “Well that’s easy” until you actually commit to it. Not unless you are naturally meticulous — I had to learn to be.
You would have guessed it right. It was incredibly difficult at first. There were days I would get back really stressed and all I wanted was to fall like a dead log on my bed. I did that a couple of times and a few seconds later it would begin to tick in my brain “Hey! Your shoes. Your wristwatch. Your face cap” And I would grumblingly get up and do right by my decision.
What began from a focus on seemingly inconsequential objects like toothbrush, face cap, teacup, belts etc. slowly began to shape other areas of my life, even intangible areas like time management.
If you could take a step back and look at your life, you would see that every decision matters, even the little one. — Craig Groeschel
In retrospect, I have that singular decision — in part — to thank for the level of discipline I boast of today.
What is the point of all these?
Vincent van Gogh quips “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Seemingly ordinary things done with consistency would produce extraordinary results.
Never trivialize seemingly small decisions. Never call those decisions you make daily — consciously or unconsciously — small.
The fabric of your life is a product of the threads of decision you weave daily, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Your decision to:
· Wake up 30 minutes earlier than your normal waking time.
· Brush your teeth twice every day.
· Make journal entries daily.
These seemingly ordinary decisions made consistently overtime will produce extraordinary results. You would be amazed at how much your life would change just by making small decisions and committing to small habits consistently overtime.
Great men are great because they know the true value of small decisions.
In Summary:
· Write down 4 areas of your life where you wish to do better and get better results (Don’t skip this! Write it).
· Think about 3 “small” decisions that can affect your performance/result in those areas. E.g read for 30 minutes every morning, make journal entries few minutes before bedtime, pray before stepping out etc.
· Pick 1 out of these 3 possible decisions.
· Think about how you can factor it into your daily routine.
· Commit to it and resolve to stay consistent at it.
Remember, great men are great because they know the true value of small decisions.
