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And, when our internal compass is on the blitz, we inevitably become whacky, too. Tethering professional, social or even spiritual guidance to “signs” is a tricky business fraught with uncertainty and disappointment.
We search for the all-too-obvious SIGN.
The clueless, lost and unabashedly confused are more susceptible to look for signs, those emotional indicators of where to go. You pray for the green light to appear and give you “permission” to proceed.
Or, you wait for some complicated series of scenarios to occur that will magically encourage you to make a final decision (or not).
You become a wishy-washy, indecisive flip-flopper who passively submits to waiting, wishing and hoping instead of planning, doing and thinking.
Surrendering yourself to the idea of “if it’s meant to be, it’ll be” is the suicide trip of life’s choices.
Why wait to be rescued by the unpredictable whims of the cosmos when you have the power to decide what happens? Choosing otherwise is scary stuff.
Signs can be an inhibiting crutch if you don’t watch out - they’re the “fair weather friends” of the safety net universe.
Signs, Decisions, and Fate
Being a sucker for “life signs” means you prefer to omit choice and limit your own accountability. It’s fine if you receive affirmation of a decision you made, but don’t fool yourself into believing it was all that it was meant to be because you “saw” a sign.
How can you rely on the merit of one sign over another? You can’t. And in theory, they really don’t exist. That’s why you shouldn’t see them as the crystal ball of life’s fortune or the psychic tuner for decision making.
Signs aren’t rules, nor are they indicators you did anything “wrong” or “right.”
We create them for our own emotional benefit - don’t become addicted to them.
You decide if a decision is good or bad - not a set of random factors that point to “CHOOSE THIS” or “DO THIS INSTEAD.”
How Can You Know When You Make a Good Decision?
Good and bad decisions are only good or bad in comparison - you have begin to trust yourself a lot more.
Trusting yourself has more to do with how well you know yourself - not how well you can recognize a “sign.”
Have enough confidence to believe that whatever fate you seek (or choice you make), the signs are just the emotional markers that keep the journey interesting.
Just as we seek out signs, we overlook them as well. Our own development suffers because we insist on ignoring our better judgment or turning away good advice.
The only sign you need (if you insist on having one) is your internal compass, if it “feels right,” that’s all the signage you’ll ever need.
Richard Fuld said he would go to his grave wondering why Lehman Brothers didn’t get bailed out. Then, he got punched in the face.
Do you think he needed a sign to see that coming?
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Comments
11.26.08
11.26.08
Funny - love the links, Jrandom!
11.26.08
"Surrendering yourself to the idea of “if it’s meant to be, it’ll be” is the suicide trip of life’s choices."
I love it! Completely agree. I'm a huge believer that "signs" and "destiny" and "fate" and whatever else are kind of...lame. I'd rather go out and make what I want happen, instead of waiting around for things to happen to me!
11.26.08
Thanks Nisha! Now, if only we can get more people to think like you!
11.26.08
Love the concept of the "internal compass". Great post!
Who better to trust than ourselves, right? People are always on the lookout for signs to guide them with their decisions and the various steps they take in life, but signs or not, it's important for them to realize that their choice is ultimately THEIR choice. THEY make the choice. They have the power to decide what to do or what not to do, and not some random sign they happened to come across.
If people just started trusting themselves more, they would already be making better decisions for themselves.
11.27.08
@Sindhuja
Great comment - it's so funny that people don't want to rely on "signs" but will be more than willing to take the "wait and see" approach to everything.
Life is one choice after the other (and the other and the other).Some folks seem too willing to limit their own life to trusting the mysteriousness of "fate"
11.30.08
In the end you have to do what works for you. Some people are fine with believing in fate. Some rely on a higher power and their are others who go out and make things happen.
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