Choices and consequences

By Innocent Mwangi

Every choice we make has a consequence. Before making any choice, we have first to consider the consequences attached to it. For instance, if you make a choice to buy a new car, a new house, etc, you must first consider the costs involved and decide whether you are capable of raising the funds required!  This could involve taking an extra job, working overtime, etc.

Your desire to have a new car, or a new house should be stronger than the desire to stay in your current comfort zone.  Unless you are dissatisfied with your current status, you will never be motivated enough to change.

Willingness to pay the cost

If you really desire something or someone, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to apprehend the object of your desire. In other words, you must be ready to pay whatever cost in order to satisfy your desire.

For instance, if you are planning to do business, you need to consider seed capital, labor, the product, etc.  You will also need to take into account the inherent risks and decide whether they justify your initial investment in the first place.

Taking stock of what is required of us for a particular objective to be accomplished is a crucial step towards turning desires into reality. It’s your understanding and willingness to pay the cost that will underpin your success in the choices you make.

Failure to consider and understand the cost will result in failure in the choices you make. When you are ready and willing to pay the cost, you will not give up when the storms of life comes knocking at your door.  Irrespective of seemingly intractable situations, you will nonetheless press on until you apprehend the object of your desire. Like a marathoner, fatigue and dehydration may slow you down, but it will not stop you from completing the race ahead – for your desire to succeed will be greater than the current temporal discomforts.

Unless your desire to succeed is greater than the pain of your current experiences, you will never succeed.  The road to success is lined with setbacks, pains, discomforts, and yes, rewards.  The rewards, however, come at the end of the road – meaning that you need to overcome limitations before reaping the rewards of success.

Before embarking on any journey or venture, a prudent person will always factor in the cost.  If your objective is to fly from Nairobi to New York, you need to know the cost of your flight, accommodation in New York, etc. You can’t pack your bags and head to the airport without an air ticket!  That would be ridiculous.

The cost of success

But what is the cost of success? Unlike your trip to New York, the cost of success cannot be quantified. However, you can expect to work hard, encounter stormy waters, and wait for a long time without seeing much progress.

That said, to succeed in the choices that you make, you must have faith in God and in your God given abilities to succeed; set clear, realistic and timely goals, device and implement a strategy for achieving those goals; be consistent and thorough in performing the tasks associated with those goals, have the tenacity to hold on even when the storms of life come crashing in on you; and be resilient enough to start again when your ship fails to come in.

Whatever choices you make in life, always remember that every choice has a consequence – and your ability and readiness to handle these consequences determines your success or failure. It’s up to you! 

© Dunamis Entreprises 2006. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 12147, 00400 Tom Mboya, Nairobi Kenya. Email: img@realopportunity.org. Tel. 254-020-787476.