Are You Making Courageous Decisions?
Are we a society of courage? Do we make courageous decisions? I would say “No”. From my experience as a sales trainer, I have had to shift my teaching of how to understand the customer’s buying motive. Customers used to buy to receive the maximum gain but in 2021, customer’s buy the product or service that has the lowest risk. We have become a very risk averse society where comfort and status quo are more important than making decision that will deliver a better future. As a society, we have become very pragmatic in terms of maintaining security, our “image”, our comfort, and our wealth. Even our government is more supportive of big “safe” business in its tax and economic policies than promoting the risk-taking entrepreneur. Safe is better than new advancements that require risk.
Making short-term decisions over long-term decision making is our current disease. American culture is conditioned to make decisions based on the short term or immediate results. (An example is look at our diet; food tastes great and people carry 40-100 lbs. extra weight. CDC reports that being obese creates triple the risk for hospitalization due to Covid-19.) Our culture does not teach to look at the long-term implications of our actions like many other societies. (Even the Taliban new that American politicians think in the short term and don’t have the will power to make hard decisions that benefit in the long run thus “We will be out of Afghanistan by 9/11” brought about the current catastrophe in Kabul.)
As Americans, we are even encouraged by the media and advertising to do it now. “Buy now, please yourself, no one waits until their married, has money in the bank, paid of their debt, has maturity, etc.” This is evidenced in teen sex, obesity, divorce, disobedient children, and how people are in excessive debt. Getting in debt, especially, credit card debt, is a system of short-term decision making. Even in the corporate world short-term decision making is a problem. Publicly traded American companies are judged on quarterly profits, not long-term gains. Therefore, executives make decisions based upon what will boost short term profits, not long-term growth. In the long run, the company is hurt by not spending money to improve or replace equipment and loses market share or profits.
As a person, is your life guided by the short-term benefit of decision making? Are you in debt? Are you overweight? Are you compromising your morals or ethics at work, in marriage, in other relationships? Are there things in your life that you have been putting off because it is uncomfortable to address the issue or relationship? If so, you’re making poor short-term decisions to avoid doing something uncomfortable now. The long-term decision is most beneficial but is uncomfortable to make.
Courageous Decisions
It takes courage to ask yourself “What is the long-term consequences of this short-term decision?” Most people live their lives never asking such questions. They hope that they will never have to “pay the piper” for short-term living. But everyone must “pay the piper.” If you have goals for your life, these goals enable you to ask yourself “Will this short-term decision benefit my long-term goals?” Specific goals help you see the long run, not just the immediate “I want this…” Goals help you have courage to say “No” to how other people live their life so you can live your life achieving your goals, not a credit card company’s or some advertiser’s goal. Long term goals can keep you out of trouble.
Do a check-up in the 7 areas of your life:
- Family – Does my spouse feel appreciated? Do we need to see a marriage coach to plan for a better future? Is my marriage heading toward a ditch and we need serious counseling? (If you said “Yes” to the last two questions but aren’t doing anything then that is what Proverbs calls being Simple. Proverbs 1: 1-7). Do you spend enough time with your kids? Do they truly know that you love them or do you tell them you do but work an extra 10-20 hours a week instead?
- Physical – Are you in good health? Have you had a medical check up lately? Are you of the age where you should be getting a colonoscopy but haven’t? Are you exercising? Are you addicted to something or abusing food, alcohol, drugs, TV, Sports, etc.?
- Mental – Are you continually learning or just taking the easy path of TV, sports and news? Are you reading books, listening to podcasts or taking courses to grow?
- Financial- Are your financial matters in good health? Are you saving or getting out of debt? Are you planning for your financial future? Are your finances controlling your life where you feel you will never have enough? Are your finances the number one driver in your life?
- Career – Are you working too many hours? Are you a workaholic? Are you continually learning to be your best? Are you just cruising at work doing enough just to get by? Are you slothful or lazy in work and could be doing a lot better in your current job or in finding a new one? Are you afraid of change?
- Faith – Do you have spiritual beliefs? Do you do things to encourage or strengthen those beliefs? Do you pray? Do you attend a church or other fellowship of like-minded people to build your spiritual beliefs?
- Fun – Do you take time to have fun? Do you use fun to escape hard decisions or avoid pain when you really should have courage to face tough decisions? Do you take time to relax? Are you relaxing too much in front of the TV?
- Social – Are you building up other people or just focused on yourself because it takes work to encourage other people? Do your children like you? Do you have several close friends that you can confide in?
If you did not like your answers to these questions, then I suggest you are living your life with a short-term mindset. You are not living in courage, working to prepare yourself and those you love to have a better future. If you are not living a life of courage, i.e., long-term decision making, then you are living in the moment and living to make life easy. Are you happy with your status quo? If not, Unstatus Your Que! Start making courageous, long-term life building decisions.
Take a free assessment of your life
Faith
It takes courage in faith to decide to stand for what is right. Deciding to be different takes faith for the long-term benefits outweigh the short term “costs.” Practicing moral behavior when your friends aren’t takes faith. Faith that God’s word says you will benefit yourself by not participating in such behavior.
Faith is all about long term decisions from where you place your affections to where you will spend eternity. When asked about eternity – heaven or hell – too many people say I will decide that later. In making that short term decision (don’t bother me with that now) they are actually developing a long-term decision also. For many, there won’t be a choice or opportunity in the long term. For the short-term decision becomes a long-term habit of not addressing the long term issues. Where will you be in eternity: heaven or hell? It is a long-term decision.
To know how to base your future in heaven go to www.4laws.com or https://www.gotquestions.org/four-spiritual-laws.html
