My Choice

In my job, I’m faced with making more choices in a day than most people make in a year. Sure, they don’t all involve life or death, but some might. Making a choice isn’t really the problem, knowing if it’s the right choice is. I might diagnose a situation, examine all the variables, and make a logical decision based on the facts. Unfortunately, logic isn’t always the right answer.

A co-worker once asked me if buying stock in a particular start-up company was a smart move. I did my due diligence, examined all the facts, paid attention to what the experts had to say, and advised him not to buy in. Who knew a company that sold books, with a weird name like Amazon, would blossom into a mega-corporation? That co-worker rarely asks me for advice now. I don’t know why he blames me. I simply offered my opinion; he made the ultimate choice not to buy the stock.

That’s another part of the decision-making process many people ignore. You must own the result of your choice, whether it’s good or bad. There is an old saying, “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” That saying can easily apply to making a choice. If you make the wrong decision, you must be ready to accept the results or walk away if at all possible. If you must choose, make the choice that will do the least damage.

Kenny Rogers once sang, “You have to know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em.” It’s true when playing cards and in life decisions. Should I buy a new car or fix the old one? Do I take a chance and accept a job with a different company or stay where I am and hope for a promotion? Do I ask her to marry me or move on?

The one thing that life offers us is choices. I should say, life offers all of you choices, but not me. I simply analyze data and offer my findings based on the information I’m given. That is the job you humans built us for. That’s why you call us Computers!