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The Power of Choice: Embracing Your Freedom to Decide
Hey there, folks! I’ve got some incredible news for you. You don’t have to do anything. Not one single thing. You truly don’t have to.
For instance, if you’re still lying in bed, and for some reason, you decided the first thing you’d do is put in your headphones and listen to the Jason Wright show, first of all, thanks. But secondly, you didn’t have to.
And guess what? For the rest of the day, you don’t have to do anything. Now, chances are you’re going to get out of bed, brush your teeth, and start your day, but remember, you don’t have to. Each time you get out of bed, eat, or make any daily decisions, it’s because you chose to. You didn’t have to, but you decided to.
Now, of course, life throws rules and obligations at us that make us feel like we have to do certain things, like getting out of bed to keep our jobs. Yeah, you should probably get out of bed not to be seen as a lazy schlub. But remember, you don’t have to. You still have the freedom to choose, and I hope you decide to.
Moreover, you don’t even have to go to work today. It’s entirely up to you. You get to decide whether or not you’re going to go to work. And if you do, there’s a whole series of decisions that come with it. You can choose to be a beacon of light or darkness in your workplace. Decide whether to greet people with a smile or a frown. You can also decide whether to do just enough to get by or to stand out. Not for promotion or recognition but because you choose to excel.
But here’s the kicker – you don’t even have to go home tonight. You can stay at the office if you want to, just sit there until the next morning. But, I highly recommend going home. It’s your choice, and if you decide to go home, why not choose to be fully present in your house with your children and your spouse? You decided to go, so why not decide to be the best version of yourself while you’re there?
The point I’m trying to make is that we often take life for granted, going through the motions on autopilot, coasting through the day. But the cool thing is this: You don’t have to do anything. Every single thing you do, from the moment you get out of bed until you go to sleep, is a result of decisions you’ve made. Life is the culmination of countless decisions, both big and small, and they are all decisions you’ve made.
That’s what life is all about. It’s the result of a bunch of decisions you’ve made. I want you to remember this because too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that their life is fixed, that where they are now is where they’ll always be. They believe that their circumstances are dictated by the decisions of others, and they’ve simply fallen into their current place. But that’s not true.
You and I have agency. We have the freedom to make decisions. Even in the direst of circumstances, people have the power to choose. Remember Victor Frankl, the author of “Man’s Search for Meaning”? He observed that even in the worst circumstances, very few people attempted suicide. They didn’t have to stay alive, but most of them chose to. Why? Because nobody truly wants to die.
So, if you’ve decided to be here, to stick around, then why not decide to make the absolute best of it? You’re going to face obstacles, things might take longer than expected, and you might not have everything you desire. But here’s the thing: there are still countless decisions you and I can make every day, no matter our circumstances.
Holocaust survivors and prisoners of war decided to keep living, hoping for a brighter day. So can’t we decide to make the best of our freedom, our jobs, our families, and our homes? It’s all up to us to decide. Remember, you don’t have to do anything, but I hope you decide to do many great things. And when you make those decisions, give it your all. Strive to improve your choices, always and in every way. You have that freedom.