Growing up, I was always told the choices I make today will influence my future, and I always thought that meant one bad choice I make today was going to have catastrophic consequences in the future, or vice versa.
I have since grown up and have seen first-hand how choices we make today influence the outcome of tomorrow.
To my surprise, I found it is not the one choice that counts but the next couple of small mindless choices that follow after.
Everything in your life exists because you first made a choice about something.
Choices are at the root of every one of your results – and whether we like it or not, we have to make them reach our desired results.
Our choices can be our best friend or our worst enemy; they can either deliver us to our goals or send us spiralling out of control.
It is always easy to look at successful people nowadays and think they had it easy, while others, especially the youth, think those who reach great success worked hard but do not appreciate the consistency it takes to reach that success.
It is the small daily choices they make consistently that eventually lead them to what seems like an overnight event.
We all come into this world the same – naked, scared and ignorant.
As we grow and learn, we all make choices, and they lead us to wherever we find ourselves today.
Where is the result of those small seemingly insignificant choices we make without thinking?
While the small choices we make daily eventually build up and have their outcomes, there are times when one stupid choice can bring down a lifetime of achievements, which we have seen happening a lot in recent years.
We all fall for this from time to time.
Have you ever been going about your business when all of sudden you make a stupid choice that ultimately sabotages your hard work and momentum – all for no apparent reason?
You did not intend to sabotage yourself but by not thinking about your decisions and weighing the risks and potential outcomes, you find yourself facing unintended consequences all because of one choice.
Nobody intends to become bankrupt, get a divorce or get expelled or fired, but those consequences are a result of a series of small, poor choices.
• Olavi Popyeinawa
• Twitter: @olavipopyeinawa
• Email: olavipopyeinawa@gmail.com