Distinguishing between a decision and a choice might sound like splitting hair in four. And yet, there is more to it.
Having a choice starts with the ability to see different alternatives. Coming to a decision will be based on the information available.
Making a choice reflects the capability to choose among different options. A decision will reflect the final result.
Going further into the capability to make a choice it is interesting to look at choices requiring commitment. That is a choice to engage into a project and commit to the journey that choice implies.
The decision will not reflect the mindset, while a choice will imply the mindset. That’s what makes a choice so challenging.
A choice is an engagement.
A few things to know in such a case:
A choice you make is a contract with yourself, one you make in a given circumstance and with given knowledge. If circumstances change or new information transforms your knowledge it might become necessary to make a new choice.
A choice also means to embrace the journey you’ve decided to embark on. Which means to develop an idea of the experience the journey means, thus to investigate what it, for example, will mean in terms of effort and time. It is more than giving the journey a sense.
Embracing a journey means to have developed an idea of the constraints this choice means. May it be rules to follow, having to step out of one’s comfort zone, or needing to invest time which then isn’t available for other projects.
The most underestimated part of choice is that it should be built on your free will. While that might seem to be easy, it isn’t. Choices frequently are influenced by the wish or invitations to please the other.
Take for example a friend wanting to create a tribe and sharing how much it would mean to him to have the other join his project. Or take the call to join a team because of one’s competence while knowing that other elements are making it difficult to join the project. Think about the felt need to invest more time into a project than others to make sure one has contributed enough. Or look at the activities people engage in during a party just to make sure that they level up with the group expectations.
In essence: all the reasons which make you regret that choice immediately when engaging into it. They transform the free will to engage in a feeling of obligation.
Making a choice and being clear that it is one’s own choice means to have integrated the constraints linked to that choice.
