Three Keys to Making the Best Choices

Are you the master of your own destiny? You bet you are! Although it may be more convenient or even comfortable to blame others for what occurs in your life, the fact is that you control your destiny. You do so by the multitude of choices you make each and every day. You can change your life by changing the choices you make! 

The quality of your life is the sum of all the daily choices you make. You choose what to eat and whether you will get some exercise.  You choose what you put in your mind, and choose the people with whom you interact.  You will make hundreds of other decisions that directly impact the quality of your life. 

When you make a series of new choices, you build new habits. Some of these choices will have an immediate impact, while others will have an impact days or even weeks later. But, make no mistake about it; the multitude of choices you make today will have an enormous impact on the quality of your life. 

An important guideline for you in making the best choices, is to strive for the ones that reflect your core values, answer your salient needs, and bring you peace, energy, and are aligned with your passionate purpose. Use the following three questions when contemplating any action to dramatically improve the quality of your choices, and ultimately, the quality of your life:

Will this choice bring me peace? Our feelings communicate a great deal about whether an action will produce stressful feelings or bring us closer to peace. When you evaluate your choices in light of the impact on your sense of peace, you will automatically consider the emotions at play, which can lead you to adaptive thinking and better strategies for meeting your needs.

Will this choice add to my energy? The essence of all life on earth is energy. Everything we choose to do either adds to our energy or depletes it.  Too often, we can feel our life is just a relentless set of demands we have to meet, and too rarely a source of satisfaction. This question leads you to choices that get you more in control of your days, such as getting sufficient sleep every night, moving more, eating less and more often, investing in those you love, learning, and giving thanks.

Will this choice advance my purpose? Ultimately, the quality of our life is shaped by our ability to live “on purpose.” Everything we do either supports or works against our purpose. When you regularly evaluate your choices in light of the impact on your purpose, you will move towards the passionate purpose that makes for a meaningful life.

The more you take the time to ask yourself these questions whenever you make a choice, the better and more in charge of your life you'll feel.

—Andrea Zintz, Career Coach