The Introspective Thinker

Personal Development

The Power of Choice

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Every day we all face an endless stream of choices. From the moment we wake up, to when we turn out the lights, our mind is forced into a constant state of decision-making.  Some choices are done without much thought, while others – the big choices – may take weeks before any action is made.

For these bigger choices, what’s the reasoning behind contemplation rather than action? I think there are two big reasons:

  • Doubt – That our current circumstances (money, ability, timing, etc.) preempt us from having the opportunities others might have available.
  • Fear – That our actions today impact the opportunities and choices we have available tomorrow.

There is some truth in this. If we don’t have the money, how can we afford something we desire? If we don’t have the ability, how can we accomplish something we hope to achieve? If we don’t have the time, how can we complete everything that we want to get done?

While these thoughts might be valid, we should not let these perspectives limit our actions. Though there are few exceptions, every individual has the ability to change their circumstances. If money is an issue – save. If ability is an issue – learn. If time is an issue – make time. Acknowledging our fears and doubts, and then moving forward rather than giving up, is the first step towards accomplishing anything worth doing.

Different Dreams, Recurring Themes

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I recently heard about a really interesting blog link-up on sharing our dreams by my friend, Akhila. Inspired by her post, I would like to now share mine.

Childhood Dreams
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Growing up, the possibility to do whatever we want with our lives seems limitless. We’re taught to dream big as children, and my childhood dreams were certainly grand. While others dreamt of becoming singers, actors, or pro-sports players, my dreams were a little different. At first, I dreamed about becoming a pilot. Later, inspired by Li Ka Shing, the Zobel de Ayala Family, and Donald Trump, I dreamed about becoming a property tycoon. After 9/11, I dreamed about becoming a diplomat, or fascinated by the Jason Bourne Series, becoming a spy. During the market boom of the mid-2000s, I dreamed about becoming a professional day-trader.

Living the Dream?
At the heart of these dreams are some recurring themes: freedom, to live a life on my own terms; adventure, to grow through exploration of the unknown; passion, to work on fun and meaningful projects. Living the dream to me means living my life according to these principles. I may not be carrying out my childhood dreams at this moment, but I can say with certainty that the experiences and decisions I’ve made throughout my life have each led me towards living a life based on these values.

My Dream Today
Before, I equated living a dream to a specific profession. My dream today transcends professions. In addition to freedom, adventure, and passion, my dream is to live a life of happiness while making a difference. These are certainly generalities, and at times I find the lack of focus on doing (re: career) to be foolish. That’s not to say I don’t have specific professions in mind: I still want to live out my childhood dreams of becoming a pilot-tycoon-diplomat-spy-trader.

Reflections on Uncertainty

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Me atop a mountain on Thanksgiving day, 2012, during my 5 month sojourn around Taiwan/Southeast Asia.

Me atop a mountain on Thanksgiving day, 2012, during my 5 month sojourn around Taiwan/Southeast Asia.

Several months ago, I willingly plunged head first into a period of uncertainty. I knew what I wanted to do and was willing to risk everything to follow my gut, but I feared the consequences my decisions would entail.

Last days always leave me with mixed emotions: excited and anxious for what is to come, reflective and appreciative of what has passed. As I look back on the past months, the three things that I’ll take away from this unique period of my life are:

The people met, places seen, and experiences had. Novelty to anything, both concrete and abstract, is something that I constantly seek. I enjoy being stimulated and challenged. I knew my experiences abroad would enable me to achieve a high degree of stimulation, I didn’t expect to be just as deeply stimulated and engaged once I returned.

Dealing with uncertainty. Being comfortable with discomfort is truly a skill. I don’t think I’ve totally succeeded, but my tolerance for the unknown has increased exponentially throughout my travels and time back in the States.

Beating to my own drum. Societal pressures and perceived obligations might make fulfilling our own dreams seem unrealistic, risky, and an endeavor that only the wealthy can pursue. Living life on your own terms is truly a liberating feeling. I hope everyone can learn how to address the fear and risk involved in order to self-actualize.

Surfing the Sea of Uncertainty

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The world is a chaotic place. Plans provide a guide amidst the chaos. In reality though, it’s impossible to control for life’s uncertainties. Uncertainty is scary, at least for me. How do you overcome uncertainty? Through planning. Not just one plan. A Plan B is an absolute must. It’s also worth thinking about a Plan C.

For most of my life, I thought plans were necessary in order to accomplish anything. Not just rough guidelines, but the whole works. Tasks. Checkpoints. Deadlines. All crucial to ensure goals are achieved. Sometime over the past year though, I’ve come to believe that plans, while helpful, should at best serve as a guide, not followed verbatim. Why?

Life happens. Current actions certainly influence the likelihood of future circumstances, but the future is never a sure thing until it is the present. As much as I’d like to believe, it’s impossible to ensure everything will run according to plan (or plans).

I haven’t completely thrown out the usefulness of planning. I still do it all the time. I still believe it’s better to have a plan than no plan at all. One of my favorite bloggers wrote recently,

“We are not walking a path, but surfing a sea.” Leo Babauta

I completely agree. Plans help us navigate the sea of uncertainty. They provide a path, at best a sense of direction, to our goals; however, life has a habit of throwing us off our compass. It took me a long time to realize this. It took even longer to figure out how to overcome these unforeseen challenges.