Four Things to Consider Before You Make That Next DecisionSample

Yesterday we explored the first two of four propositions that always present themselves when we are faced with a choice:

1. “What would you like?”

2. "What is available?”

Today, we’ll look at the final two:

3. “Can you make it happen?”

4. “What might result?”

“Can you make it happen?”

The third proposition concerns power.

Power is a person’s capacity to make a difference—to affect the world in some measurable way. Most people underestimate their power. Many of us with limited financial resources or relatively low-ranking positions at work may actually possess a great deal of power in the home that derives from our physical size or strength.

How that power is used as a parent, for example, can be the difference between a home characterized by either security or abuse. We will describe how virtuous behavior naturally increases one’s power and how virtuous use of power can bring about tremendous good.

But there’s a catch: power is always seductive and can lead to impaired empathy, self-centeredness, impulsivity, and a host of other counterproductive tendencies. What starts as a healthy influence can easily lapse into unhealthy control or even abuse.

“What might result?”

The fourth proposition involves expectations—the anticipated possible outcomes should we choose to act.

“What do I expect in this situation?” “What do I expect out of life?” If we expect an action to produce a desirable result, then we are likely to proceed. And if we expect an unpleasant result, we are likely to halt. Action-oriented people tend to be realistic optimists. They generally expect their efforts to succeed, after which they can envision and conquer the next hill and the one after that.

Because they are accustomed to success, action-oriented people expect it to continue. But this can lead them to underestimate the likelihood of a bad outcome to any behavior they may be contemplating. When we think we’re immune to getting caught, causing pain, or experiencing loss, we tend to behave foolishly—to do things that end careers, traumatize others, and destroy legacies.

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For risk assessments that take more time to develop or unfold, such as decisions to risk a career change, a financial investment, or an extramarital affair, any or all of the four propositions are likely to be dealt with and experienced in a more conscientious or deliberate manner.

We hope this model will help you make decisions and initiate risk in a godly manner that reflects an active approach and is rooted in both faith and prudence. Mastering this model can’t guarantee the correct decision in every situation, but it will allow you to advance with a more calculated decision about the risks you are facing.

To learn more about embracing risk and living your life to the fullest, visit whatwasithinkingbook.com.