Friday's Thought - The 3 P's in Life - Priority, Purpose, and Principles

One of my absolute favorite quotes from Yogi Berra is "When you get to the fork in the road, take it!"  It doesn't much describe the result of the choice, but it describes the need for the choice.  Comedian Buddy Hackett once said of choice, "My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it."  Once again, that doesn't much describe the result, but indeed the need to make a choice.  

 

One of our many and most important freedoms in our country is the God given right to make choices.  When you make the right choice, typically good things happen.  You make the wrong choice and you very well may be on the road to disaster!  Generally speaking, your choice is either going to be right or wrong and seldom do you get a "do-over" in life.  (Unless of course you are on the golf course, take the wrong club, find the lake with your slice and take a mulligan - but none of us would ever do that, would we?!)

 

So when do we know that we have made the right choice?   

 

First, determine if it is indeed a priority?  Are the actions from a true sense of urgency, or just because it seems to be the thing to do?  Dwight D. Eisenhower tells us that, "The older I get the more wisdom I find in the ancient rule of taking first things first. A process which often reduces the most complex human problem to a manageable proportion."  The choice must be meaningful and truly be focused on an issue or problem needing attention - not just "because..."

 

Second, is there a purpose?  Malcolm X, said it all in one very short statement, "A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."  Don't fall for it and make the wrong choice!

 

Third, make choices according to your principles.  A wise man once said that "Principal is a passion for truth!"  We are taught from childhood right from wrong and to always be truthful, right?  In both business and life honor and integrity should always reign supreme and be our  guiding principle!  Basically this boils down to a very simple truth - and that is what is right and that is what is wrong.

 

In today's society, we have so many choices to make.  What to eat. Tex-Mex or Italian?  What to drink.  Coke or Pepsi?  What to drive.  BMW, Ford or Lexus?   Political affiliation.  Republican, Democrat, Independent or Tea Party?  Where to live. City or suburb?  Who to fly.  American or Southwest?  What team to root for. Yankees or Red Sox? The Rangers?  This weekend on Super Bowl Sunday – The Seahawks or Broncos? Where to vacation, where to work and where to worship?  Term life or Whole life?  Stocks, Bonds or Mutual Funds? HMO or PPO?  You get the picture, your choices are your personal selections and typically these things seem fairly easy and don't really have any affect on others around you.  Or do they?  In our personal lives, our choices can affect us and yes they can affect others.  Just like in our professional lives.  Like it or not, life is just a series of ongoing choices. If we can easily make these choices for ourselves, why can't we always make the right ones - especially when the outcome can easily affect others?  Unfortunately, often times choices are made by an emotional reaction and just not thinking them through.  That is why it is so important to understand the choices that you make as they can ultimately affect others (both good and bad) by simply following the "3 P's as noted above.  

 

Remember the famous line from Forrest Gump? "Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get!"  I will beg to differ with Mr. Gump, as you do know what you are going to get.....You are going to get to make a choice - in fact,  many choices along the way.  Just be sure that these choices are always the right ones!  We all work very hard to get to that Yogi-ism fork in the road.  When confronted with that choice, always be sure and think it through, weigh all of the consequences and options, check your priorities, have a purpose in mind and always remember how important it is to follow through based on your principles.  From there, you will always have the much needed confidence that you have indeed taken the correct fork! 

 

Make a choice and take the fork. The end result is waiting!  

 

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity.  They seem more afraid of life than death." - US Supreme Court Justice, James F. Byrnes 

 

Thanks Lee for another great commentary...