Written by: Adele Chee, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Choice is the purest expression of free will. The freedom to choose allows us to shape our lives exactly how we wish - provided we have the resources to do so. Having said that, indeed, some of us may have more choices than others, but it’s no denying that we all have choices.
So, how do you decide on the choice to move forward with?
Imagine playing with a set of cards you’ve been dealt. How do you know when to play by the rules of the game and when you should create your own rules - which includes not to play at all?
Step 1: Have clarity of your goals
Without kids of our own, I get what my husband has coined as my “mummy-fix” with the children of our family and friends. At times, when us adults and the kids are playing a game together, to strictly follow the rules of the game would alienate some of the kids. So, there are obviously a few choices we can make. However, before we make them, let’s consider the goals we want to achieve. In this scenario, the aim was for everyone to play and have an enjoyable time together. Hence, we chose to adapt and make up rules that suit the lowest common denominator, so that we can all get on with having fun.
Here, we see that having clarity of your goals will enable you to formulate well-reasoned options and take appropriate actions. This is a universal principle that is applicable in all decision-making processes.
Step 2: Be explicit about your options
Some may consider the above a light-hearted and low impact scenario. Is it really? Put yourself in the child-who-couldn’t-play’s shoes because the decision was to stick to the rules of the game. What could the lasting impact of being shunned away - by his or her own family no less - be on this child?
Therefore, besides being clear about your goals, you need to be explicit about your options as well i.e what exactly are these selections that are at your disposal and what do they entail. At times, certain possibilities may seem a little obscure. Then, perhaps an evaluation of your biases is needed to remove the smokescreen and bring it out into the open; or reframing the choices you have could help you see them from a different angle.
When you have direct visibility of your alternatives, you will be able to evaluate how likely each of them would meet your goals and pick the winning option.
It is also important to note that life is not a deck of printed cards.
Hence, goals and options can be modified through the course of the game. This is because we will continuously be dealt with new or different cards as we progress. Therefore, having the ability to conscientiously gain clarity of your goals and options as you advance, will empower you to make the choices that are right for you and those around you.
If you need support in gaining clarity of your goals and options to decide on your best choice forward, please schedule a FREE non-obligatory 30-min session with me. For more info, follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website!
Adele Chee, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Adele is a transition coach and mentor. She supports professionals and entrepreneurs, who are standing at a crossroads and feeling overwhelmed by their options to move forward. Through her proprietary S.P.A.R.K.© self-alignment model and program, she has helped clients around the world to be in control and navigate through shifting environments with confidence. A change-enthusiast herself, she believes that having clarity and alignment of one’s values, strengths, vision and purpose - “core elements” of their self - are essential in enabling a person to take ownership and be the agent of their own life. She has gone from lab coats to business suits, working on the international stage out of Asia and Europe, in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries. In the 15 years of her corporate career, she has held a variety of roles from marketing and communications to project management and consulting. All these experiences led her to finally realizing her personal ambition of becoming a coach and she started her coaching practice during a global pandemic.
