Thursday, September 26, 1996

Little choices - big results

Today you will face countless choices. They may each seem insignificant, but they’re not. Most of them, you probably won’t even think about -- you’ll make these choices by habit. Others, you’ll consider briefly, perhaps, and then move on to something else.

We tend to focus on the “big” choices: where to go to college, what house to buy, who to marry, what career to choose. And these are important decisions. Yet the little choices -- the ones you make every day without even thinking -- add up over the months and years to have a huge impact on your life. The cumulative effect of these little choices is powerful indeed.

Let’s say you choose at lunch to have a double-meat cheesburger, large order of onion rings and a piece of cheesecake, instead of having a green salad and a bowl of fresh fruit. It won’t make much difference today which you choose. However, over the course of a year, your daily choice of food can make a tremendous difference in your health and fitness.

Other choices that you make every day: To spend 10 minutes circling and fighting for a parking space next to the building, or to park out where there are plenty of spaces and spend 3 minutes walking across the parking lot. To call a friend or to watch another re-run of “Coach". To assign blame or to solve the problem. To do something the way it’s always been done, or to look for a new approach. To pay someone a compliment, or to mind your own business. To take off early, or to work a few minutes late. These choices combine to form your life. In what direction are your choices taking you?

The life you live right now is a result of the choices you have made in the past. Be aware of your choices every day. Take control of your life with the choices you make, especially the “little” ones.

— Ralph Marston

What is RIGHT with your life? Expect the best next

Copyright ©1996 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.