The Illusion Of Choice

Today we talk about this thing called choice.
We all have it.  We choose what to eat, what to wear, what to watch, etc.
That’s surface level though, as OG Millennials you know we have to dig deeper than that.

Let’s talk about broader life choices.
Where we work, how hard we work, the type of work we will and won’t do, living situation, etc. There are a litany of other choices that we have in this life of ours. 

Or so we think.

I have a theory.  My theory is this:

In the case of trying to achieve a specific goal, once a choice is made we either deal with the trials and tribulations that come with the process of achieving the goal or not.  There’s no other way around it.  The process is the process.

Of course as always there’s always context and nuance to all life theories but I believe you’re smart enough to decipher what it is that I’m trying to convey.  You get one choice, and everything else that occurs in your life is a byproduct of that choice.  Where we as individuals run into issues is coming to grips with the trickle down effect of the choices we’ve made.

Take us for instance (by us I mean OG Millennials) we’ve decided that we want to be successful.  Success for us most likely (I’m assuming here, but I’m confident you’ll agree) means having ultimate control of our time.  We want our time so we can pursue the things that bring us closer to being the best versions of ourselves.  Once that choice is made, the work to get there is the work to get there.  There aren’t any shortcuts.  It is what it is.  To not endure, or balk against the rigors of the necessary process to achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves is in itself a choice we are making that the goal isn’t what we really want.  We’re just talking.

I can even make it simpler than that. That may be too deep an example.  Let's go back to surface level.  The choice we make of what to wear.  Some people choose what we want to wear probably because they want to be perceived a certain way.  Others want people to see how they look and make certain judgements about them. Many others put on clothes because of how it makes them feel; it makes them feel more comfortable in their skin.  Following the same idea people say it helps them blend in because they don’t want to stand out.  Of course there are those that actually want to be different and push the envelope as far fashion.  The bottom line remains, once the choice has been made on what to wear, it is done.

Now we have to deal with whatever comes with that.  It may be positive or it may be negative.  We may get the desired reaction or one that’s on the other end of the spectrum.  Regardless, we don't get to choose any of that.  The choice we had has already been made.

Since that is a conscious choice we’ve made, everything else we do is now governed by that choice.  Based on what we’ve worn, we may not be allowed to enter certain establishments (as is the establishments prerogative), but we also don’t get to choose to make them change their rules.  If we know their rules beforehand, we also know we can’t go there because what we have on isn’t appropriate or allowed there.  I could go on and on, about all the trickle down effects, but you get it.  The only choice we got was what to wear.  Everything else that comes after is a byproduct of that.

So as you go through life progressing and striving to be better, audit your choices.  Think them through.  Once they’re made, prepare yourself to deal with whatever comes with it.  That’s simply how life works.  Want to change your outcomes, change your choices.