Everyday we are faced with choices. Should I eat this fruit for breakfast or stop for a bagel sandwich? Should I go to the gym after work or go to happy hour with friends? Life is full of choices. Like a basket of fruit, there is always one that is not quite ripe, fuzzy and bruised, or completely rotten. There is never going to be a perfect assembly of fruit for the picking. However, you can reduce the risk of picking that bad seed by sorting through and making your choice intentional.
I listen to the Minimalists Podcast occasionally, and they had a similar analogy to this, but I thought about it and created a different, new approach. By no means do I claim to make the best decisions or do I have the knowledge on telling you how to make decisions for yourself, but when it comes to choices there are only a few paths that we all have. Whether it is picking fruit or pursuing a new work or passion venture, there are generally three choices to it:
Blindly reach into the basket and a pick your fruit, wishing for the best one to appear in your hand.
Hold out, because you will find something better on another fruit truck.
Look over the entire fruit selection in the basket, assess the options, then pick the best one for you.
If you’re driven solely by luck and good juju, then #1 is your go-to. However, it isn’t the most practical way to get something to work in your favor. You have the same chance in picking a perfectly good piece of fruit than you have in picking a moldy, spoiled one. Not so optimal. Patience is your virtue if you go with option 2, because there is never going to be a perfect time. Although you may eventually find the perfect fruit for your tasting, who knows how long it will take for that next fruit truck to bring it. You will grow to be very hungry waiting, which could lead to frustration. Could also indeed lead to finding that very best piece of fruit, but you must be willing to compromise with time. The last option gives you a chance to analyze all the possibilities in front of you and make the choice that best suits you. You aren’t picking blindly, and you can see all the other possibilities lied out in front of you. With that said, there’s no guarantees that this is the best bunch of fruit, but at least you can choose the best among that given selection at that time. You are making an educated and analytic decision based on what you know of the selection. There’s no waiting on the fruit truck to come in with the next batch, rather you are finding the best with what you have right now in this moment with a set intention. Here’s to finding that nice juicy one, eh?
Whatever it may be, set your intentions and choose wisely at the pickings in life! ;) - Lee-Ann