Everything we do is a decision. Easy decisions result in our day-to-day activities. They are decisions that we make are simple and have been ingrained in our makeup since we were young: Do I take a shower or not? Do I brush my teeth or just mouthwash? Do I eat this apple rather than that orange?
There are also decisions that we make that do not happen on a daily basis that are a bit more challenging. They are the ones that challenge us to be committed to our core values, the people that we care about, the things that we really want to do, or the person that we wish to become.
These decisions are hard. But no one ever said that doing the right thing was going to be easy.
Sadly [myself included], we have all made poor decisions at one point or another. It maybe because it’s easier to do the wrong thing than the “right” thing. It could be because making the right decision for yourself is not popular amongst your peers. Whatever your rationale is for doing what you do, it all comes down to one thing: how committed are you to staying connected to your values and being the best version of yourself.
Take a look at these examples and see if they remind you of anything you have done [or may even be doing]:
If you want to be a good father, it’s probably best that you don’t run around bars late at night with people who don’t have the responsibilities you do. What are you more committed to - being the best father that you can be or running around downtown like an asshole? I think that you know the answer to that one.
If you want to be a good teammate, would it behoove you to not just support your teammates in moments of victory, but also challenge them in times where they mess up? Being a good teammate doesn’t just mean that you are a great cheerleader - it means that you hold the people on your team accountable when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain. What are you more committed to in that moment - being a good teammate or a good buddy?
If an opportunity to disappear from work takes place so you can drink with your friends before work is officially over, knowing damn well you are not going to get your work done at all that day, what do you do? What are you committed to? People pay you good money because they EXPECT good work from you. They EXPECT you to be committed. But sometimes getting that cold one with your friends is a bit more tempting that sitting at the desk and being responsible.
I think that you get the picture.
Being committed and making the right decisions that are connected to your values all comes down to self-awareness. If you are not self-aware of who you really are, by making decisions that are not good for you at all, then becoming your best self is just not going to happen.
You are going to continue to drink with your buddies rather that get work done, be a friend rather than a teammate, and put yourself before your family.
Stay committed to being aware of who you are and what you value. And although there maybe times in which you wish you were doing something else rather than being responsible, doing the right thing in the long run is better for you and the people that want you to be your best self. When the two of those mediums are at peace, I think you are going to like the situation that you are in.