There's an amazing variety of choices we make by default day after day that it might be good to think about. We also make a lot of choices by default because we assume there really isn't a choice. We assume we have to keep THIS job because we need A job. We assume we must stay where we are geographically simply because it's where we are today.
Making choices this way is the meek way to live. It means you never consider anything beyond what you already know, what you already do, what you are already comfortable with. It also means that you feel "stuck" with what you are doing—a "victim of circumstance" rather than captain of your own destiny.
The truth of the matter is there are always alternatives. Much of the time, they're so unappealing we never consider them. To be sure, there are some choices where the alternatives really are unthinkable and making the choice again and again would be silly. I choose to breathe. Not breathing doesn't look like a real good idea to me. I also choose to rest, eat, and drive with care. But letting most of your life run on autopilot is cheating yourself.
Decades ago, I was involved in a company program that encouraged women to get into nontraditional careers within the organization. We offered an all-day seminar called "How to Decide." I wish that class were mandatory in every high school in the country today. Since it isn't, here are the basics of making good choices:
RECOGNIZE YOU HAVE A CHOICE. The first step in making a good choice is acknowledging you HAVE a choice. Instead of assuming that what is going on is the only thing that could be going on, make a conscious effort to assess the situation. Ask yourself "Is this the way I want my life to go?" Ask that question often and you will get some surprising and rewarding answers.
GENERATE A WIDE RANGE OF POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES. When you create the list, put down everything you think of, even if it seems silly or unworkable. Sometimes those "frivolous answers" hold the kernel of a really great alternative.
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