What Precedes and What Follows

[Greg R]

This post is inspired by a passage that I read by Epictetus (a Stoic philosopher) today. It is about decision making and consequences of those decisions.

When was that last time that you've made decision and actually took the time to think in-depth about what precedes and what follows that decision? Big or small.

Maybe you've calculated the EV (Estimated Value), or went through a WADM (Weighted Average Decision Matrix). But did you consider exactly the decision entails? Did you discover the TRUTH?

Before clicking this post did you take a step back and really think to yourself that; it could be too long, provide little value, or generally be a complete waste of time? #landfill #shitpost

Were those acceptable risks for you? Maybe...

How often do we go about life making seemingly insignificant decisions that could actually significant? How would you know if you really didn't take a step back to debate with yourself about them?

Like:

• Saying yes to invitations from friends that consume too much of your time
• Going to work instead of working on your business
• Watching TV instead of exercising
• Cleaning the house instead of nurturing relationships with your family

Or how about when you decided that your destiny was to be an entrepreneur? Did you think about all of the potential things that may happen before, during, and after?

• Losing money
• Long grueling hours
• Risking relationships
• Never "making it"
• The dessert of desertion
• Poor health practices

The list goes on and on.

Maybe when you chose to go on that Keto diet, you may not have considered:

• The time investment
• The hunger
• The pain and discomfort
• The possibility of failure and what may result from that failure.

Too often we make decisions that could strongly impact our life without putting any weight to the decision.

"I want to own my own business"
"I want to go to Stanford"
"I want to lose 50 lbs"
"I want to be famous"
"I want to be in the Olympics"

What does the process entail?

From mindless eating to dwelling on bad circumstances . You could be costing yourself more than even you know.

Conclusion: Only once you have thoroughly examined (and have accepted) the consequences that come before or after something should you pursue that decision. You know yourself better than anyone and only you can know if you are capable of enduring the consequences of that decision.

 

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[jon.a]

Yes I did. I wanted to see what you had to say about before and after.

Before clicking this post did you take a step back and really think to yourself that; it could be too long, provide little value, or generally be a complete waste of time? #landfill #shitpost

Were those acceptable risks for you? Maybe...

 

[Waspy]

I run into almost everything without thought. I have always liked it that way and am very content accepting the consequences of that approach(and there are many!) I'm a do now, think later, kind of guy.

I really enjoyed this post though. Thought provoking.