2 Crucial Questions to Ask Before Deciding

Lately I have been watching all the new, wonderful ways to connect with people on social media.

It’s awesome, but can also feel a bit overwhelming don’t you think?

You start wonder, “Oh, maybe I need to do this, that or the other thing to feel/be successful.”

But this pressure doesn’t just exist with social media. Life is made in a series of small choices.

We ask ourselves, do I need to take this program in order to succeed? Or join this class? Or go on this date? Or do this workout? Or take this job?

Will  “this” be the thing that moves me forward? (By forward, I simply mean towards your success, whatever that means to you.)

This question really starts to weigh on you, particularly if you are starting to see other people succeeding at the thing you are contemplating doing.

To me, it’s a little like this.  Imagine you’re standing on a pier, simply enjoying the lovely view.  You notice a boat pull in.  Suddenly, all the people around you start to board the boat, but you don’t really a) know why, or b) feel like getting on the boat.

After all, you are enjoying your lovely time on the pier, right?

But your inner tension builds as more people get on.  You hear the captain announce that the boat will soon be leaving.  You feel that if you don’t get on you may quite literally miss the boat.

If you feel like there is a boat pulling into your personal pier, and if you are wondering whether or not you should get on, I want you to listen closely.

Do not get on the boat just because everyone else is, or someone told you to. That is not a good enough reason.

Start by asking yourself these 2 questions before deciding, but don’t overthink them:

1.     Will this thing bring me joy or be fun to do?
2.     Will this thing GIVE me energy or DRAIN my energy?

For example, I personally like a good amount of alone/solitude time mixed with a good amount of social time. I need a balance. If had to do a job that required me to be super social ALL the time, I would feel terribly drained.

Conversely, if I had to be in a lab doing research by myself all day every day, I would go crazy.

I know I need a mixture. The balance between the two is EXACTLY what gives me energy.

If your answer is clear that whatever “this” is will drain you, then please, for the love of all that is, PASS on it.

The next thing I want you to do is repeat after me:

My success and greatness do not depend on whether or not I do this one thing.

Again:

My success and greatness do not depend on whether or not I do this one thing.

Are you getting it? Your success and greatness do not hinge on one single decision. Life is created from a series of small choices. Have faith that your success and greatness is something that is built, cultivated and grown over time.

Your greatness is something that lives inside of you and there will be MANY opportunities to cultivate it throughout your life.

You are the master of your fate, you are the captain of your soul.

With that my dear, Gorgeous don’t be afraid to get on the boat (take a risk!), learn that it makes you seasick (happens to me all the time), and then jump ship!

There is no harm in trying something.  Only then you will know for sure whether it is, or isn’t, for you. Life really is a series of small choices that inform your next choices. No right or wrong here.

With that, speaking of social media, I am going to play on Periscope. I don’t know when or how or what. I might hate it. I might do it one time and say, “This is crap!”. But let’s see, shall we?

If you want to try it with me, you can follow me by downloading the app and searching “Erin Stutland”.

Lastly, if this idea of whether or not to get on the boat kicks up some feelings for you, come on over to the blog and share your thoughts. I love hearing how you deal with this sort of inner conundrum.

I appreciate you making space for me in your inbox. I will be back on Tuesday with something special for your SOUL.

Love,
Erin