I was moved by the lead character’s determination to become a famous wrestler in Mexico and it dawned on me that there is a powerful message underlying this story that may make a difference to your life.
In the movie, a very simple friar, Nacho, has a dream to become a wrestling hero. Nacho is faced with obstacle after obstacle until he accomplishes his goal. There is a turning point in Nacho’s life when he makes a CHOICE to become a wrestler.
Before this point, it was just a dream, but having made the CHOICE, our simple friar ultimately becomes a local wrestling hero, transforming his life.
Life is a lot like this movie. We all have dreams, but until we CHOOSE to follow them, nothing ever changes. However, once we choose, there is no turning back and our choice begins to shape our future and ultimately, our destiny.
Most of us go through life making DECISIONS and very rarely making CHOICES.
So, what’s the difference?
The word ‘decide’ comes from the same Latin family of words as suicide, genocide, homicide etc… All these words include the Latin suffix ‘cide’, which means to cut or kill. When making a DECISION, we have to kill off the other options in order to be left with one last option, which we then decide upon. In this case, we are not making a choice, because our REASONS (why we should or should not do a thing) are choosing for us.
When making a CHOICE, we consider all the options available and we choose freely, not based on reason, rather based in free will.
OK, OK, I know this is deep stuff, so let me bring it down to earth.
In our movie, there are many logical reasons why Nacho should not have pursued his goal of becoming a wrester. He was overweight, unfit and just a simple friar with no experience in wrestling. Had Nacho used these reasons to make his DECISION, he would probably have decided that becoming a wrestler was a stupid idea.
However, Nacho CHOSE to become a wrestler, and as a result had to go through much hardship to achieve his goal. Had he made a DECISION, he would have given up at the first failure, but having made a CHOICE, he is propelled towards the inevitable – becoming a professional wrestler.
So, my question to you is this. Have you CHOSEN where you want to go in your life, or are you still DECIDING? Are you creating your life based on the CHOICES you make or are your reasons DECIDING your life for you? Take a look…
Till next time, be awesome…
Bruce
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts… Please leave me a comment…
Thanks to Landmark Education for teaching me this distinction.
Yes,I think you have made a good job in the sorting out of these two separate concepts, which I am going to find useful in my day to day application as to consciously knowing, regarding some issue, as to whether or not I am making a CHOICE. And you inspired me to add something else. Once you have decided to undertake personal growth and spiritual development as being your main purpose for your life, you thus arrive at a place where you know who you are and why you are here. And that simply means that you can therefore eliminate “decisions” from your life and live from a place of choicelessness?
Normand