Taking a wrong turn allows you to see landscapes you wouldn’t otherwise have seen.
Life is a journey filled with twists and turns, often leaving us confused about which path to take. We become too overwhelmed about our decisions going wrong.
But, why are we so keen on making the right decisions?
Why have we not given a room of thought about the beauty that could unfold when taking the unknown path?
Could the wrong turn taken be an opportunity for exploration and growth?
And while it’s easy to view wrong turns as mistakes to be avoided, perhaps they could also be seen as opportunities for exploration and growth.
Inspired by the profound words from the book “The Creative Act: A Way of Being,” by Rick Rubin I gained this fresh new perspective on decision-making, which I would like to share.
According to his words, the formula that worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. The proven solutions are sometimes the least helpful. Going by his words, how can we know if the decision we are making is right or wrong?
When the proven formula does not work, when what worked for someone may not work for us, what could be the scale to measure the rightness of a decision we make?
Let’s explore further.
Embracing the Unknown
Most often, our decisions are influenced by familiarity with the situation. Let’s say, for instance, we are presented with two job offers - one in our hometown and another one in a different state.
Given that both the salary ranges are the same, though we know that the opportunity for growth could be more in the unknown place, we settle down for the familiar locale. We may even try to rationalize our choices, convincing ourselves that the familiar option is the best one.
But if we are really willing to stretch beyond our comfort zones, challenge our assumptions, and embrace the unknown.. in those moments of uncertainty and discomfort we might be able to grow in ways we never thought would be possible.
Being More Intuitive
Oftentimes, while making a decision, we mostly rely on logic and reason, weighing the pros and cons, and seeking advice from others. But we tend to overlook one other essential factor at play - it’s our “intuition”.
Many of us tend to brush aside those little nudges, fearing the uncertainty they could bring. Sometimes we ignore them because we have never honed the practice of following them.
Yet, these subtle whispers can guide us towards an uncharted path which can turn out to be a surprisingly fulfilling path which we wouldn’t have pursued otherwise.
So how do we strengthen our intuition? Maybe we can learn to trust intuition in everyday decisions. It could be as simple as choosing between a white shirt or the one with blue checks, honoring these little intuitive prompts can help us build confidence in our inner guidance.
As we keep acknowledging and acting upon these nudges, we will be able to pave the way for more profound insight and clarity in navigating life’s bigger decisions.
Accepting Imperfections
The essence of decision-making lies in embracing the imperfections inherent in our lives and within ourselves. There can never be a right or wrong decision.
According to Dr. Ellen Langer, regarded as the mother of mindfulness; instead of fixating our mind on making the right decision, we need to make a decision, and then strive to make it right.
When we choose between the two options, and it does not go right, it is so easy for us to mindlessly regret the decision and say, oh the other one would have been better. But there will never be a way to find out how the other choice would have turned out to be.
Therefore let us release the burden of making the perfect decision, instead, trust the choices we make. Rather than overthinking about making the right decision, let us focus on making the decision right.
Amidst the complexities of decision-making, it is crucial to acknowledge that perfection is never possible. Instead, let’s learn to embrace the imperfections and uncertainties that unfold in the new path we travel, believing that we have the ability not only to make the right decisions but also to make the decisions right.