The power of choice
Where we are today is the result of choices we have made in our past. Options as small as what to have for breakfast or what we want to do for a living. Each of us was born with the gift of free will and has the right to choose our destiny through a series of lifelong decisions. Accept responsibility for who and where you are today and understand that, with the exception of a few outside forces, you are where you are because of the choices you have made.
What about options like going to work? You may be saying, “I have a family to support and I can’t choose to miss work. If I don’t work, I get fired.” The fact is that you choose not to miss work and keep your job. The choice to skip work is yours and you must accept the consequences of each of your decisions. Even in the extreme situation of someone pointing a gun to your head, you have the option to do as you are told or get shot. The choice is always present and always yours.
What about the person who is hit by a bus? Obviously, he didn’t choose to be hit by a bus, but if he’s still alive, he certainly can choose how to respond to the situation. He can spend the rest of his days focusing on “why me?” and how unlucky he is, or making millions writing the bestseller “Life After Being Hit By A Bus” and helping others who were hit by a greyhound while picking up a penny on the road. Although we can’t always choose what happens to us or surrounds us, we can choose how we deal with it.
A successful person understands this concept well and understands that their choices make them who they are today. She does not use the negative statement “I HAVE to” but “I WANT.” Having to do something makes you subconsciously believe that you have no choice in the situation, which is rarely true. Once you truly understand that you are choosing to do something instead of having to do it, your attitude becomes positive and you see the benefits instead of concentrating on the negative.
Other people will respect you for your directness when you are more honest with a statement like “I’d rather.” The words “have to” are often used as a defense mechanism and as an excuse for not doing something. Understand that you have a choice in the matter, and be smart enough to avoid the words “I have to.” Those with whom you communicate will respect you more for it.