Our future is shaped by our decisions, which are influenced by our thoughts. If we are not aware of it, we are holding thoughts that, unconsciously, will lead to actions we do not need. Check this proposed simple exercise to become more aware of the daily decisions you are making in life based on the thoughts you hold.

1. Which Will Be
Your Decision?
Eduard Lopez

2. Which Will Be Your Decision?
One of the key differences that set professional coaching apart from the rest of the
disciplines (like counseling or therapy) which work on helping individuals who make the
decision of improving their personal situation, is that coaching focuses on action.
And this is the point that makes people get stopped on their tracks. Sometimes the action
that we have to take to improve our current situation, or to get where we want to be,
looks so big, so massive for us to consider it, that only thinking about it makes us believe
that it’s impossible even to start.
So, why even try it?
Henry Ford, when once asked about how he approached problems, said “when facing any
situation there are many things that you cannot do anything about, but, if you analyze the
situation well, you will discover that there is always one thing that you can do. I always
focus on what I can do and I do it”.
This approach helped Mr. Ford to create an industry and become a multimillionaire.
What a fresh perspective, even it was brought over a century ago!
So why don’t we apply that basic rule and prefer to focus on things we cannot do anything
about?
We usually prefer to complain, to argue and to talk about all the things we do not have
any control over. And, since almost everybody does the same, we even do not realize how
extended this innocuous, hopeless and ineffective strategy is.
Fun exercise
I propose a quick exercise to be done during the course of your day. It’s meant to have
some fun and, at the same time, to realize how far we can be (or not) from the vast
majority of people that are unhappy, frustrated, disappointed or intimidated with what is
happening to them or around them.
Human for Human Consulting

3. Which Will Be Your Decision?
Are you with me?
Let’s start a normal day for you. A day where you interact with people soon after you
jump off the bed and run your daily activities, whatever they are.
For the entire day, try to focus your attention on what people around you say that put
themselves as ‘victims’ of what happens to them. Expressions like:
- If taxes were not so high…
- The public transport in this city is so bad!
- If I would not waste one hour a day commuting…
- The problem is that very few people can afford to go to University…
- The economy will prevent us having social coverage when we will retire…
- If there would only be less bureaucracy involved in opening a business…
- There are not good jobs available in this region…
You get the idea.
And you will hear this on the radio, in the bus, at the of ce, in the restaurant, at the coffee
break…everywhere.
Don’t do anything. I just want you to be aware of the expressions you hear. And, why not,
you may be one of the people who will ‘say’ some of these expressions.
Be also aware of this. You will be amazed by how many ‘blaming’ you nd in one day. With
practice, you will be able to nd even more.
Human for Human Consulting

4. Which Will Be Your Decision?
The exercise will nish at the end of your day. Take some quiet time and re ect. How will
blaming all those external factors help you personally?
As rational beings, we should do what helps us to achieve an objective or goal.
If we are hungry, we take action to get food and eat
If we are cold, we take action to cover ourselves or go into a warmer place
If we want to attract somebody, we improve our appearance or attitude
We take action because we know that only with 'action' we can achieve our objectives,
whatever they are.
Taking responsibility means that we know what we want, we identify the action(s) we
have to take and, we make the decision to take them; because we know that making
excuses and blaming external circumstances will not move us an inch from where we are.
And, surprisingly, many people (including, why not, ourselves) keep wasting time and
energy blaming external factors, and making excuses that try to justify why we are where
we are.
And the smarter the person is, the smarter the excuse she will bring to justify why she is
where she is.
Finally, it's your decision.
We all have heard about the Newton’s Law of Action and Reaction, and we are able to
sketch a simple explanation on how this Law works on the physical world. But this is a
Universal Law, that also works on the ‘non-physical’ world.
What does it mean in our case? It means that we cannot achieve anything if we do not pay
the price. And what is the price?
Human for Human Consulting

5. Which Will Be Your Decision?
The price is identifying what we need, assessing the gap between where we are and what
we want to achieve, and taking deliberate action towards it until we get it.
Same as a doctor has to pay a price of long years of study and dedication to become a
good doctor, we have to pay the price to be or have what we want. Complaining, blaming
others, making excuses will not make us become what we want.
And this is the re ection part of the exercise today:
Think about it at the end of the day and decide for tomorrow, are you going to run the day
as the previous day, participating in all these complains, collecting blaming and making
excuses?
Or, are you going to decide what you speci cally need to do during your day to move
closer to where you want to be, and take action?
The decision is yours. Nobody can make it for you.
And, whatever decision you will take, day after day, it will inevitably make you a
professional of what you do, a champion in your domain: it can be a professional writer,
salesperson, athlete, teacher, musician, father or mother; or, it can be a professional
victim, blamer, excuse-maker or depressing companion.
It all depends on you and what you decide to do…everyday.
So, what are you going to do tomorrow when you will wake up? Which will be your
decision?
Good night.
Eduard Lopez
Human for Human Consulting

6. Which Will Be Your Decision?
If you need some help in implementing your daily actions, you can contact me or check
the details of my coaching program.
Human for Human Consulting