THE CHOICE
Question: Do you let circumstances and time constraints define you, or are you in control of your choices?
How intentional are you about what you hope to accomplish? Every decision you make in the future will only boil down to two thought processes. Which will you choose to drive you forward?
The Yearly Transition of Two Thought Processes:
| Thought Process A | Thought Process B | |
|---|---|---|
|
It’s January. I’m ready to take on my New Year’s Resolutions! This year, I’m going to get to the gym more. I’ve been so lazy, and the holidays really had me eating poorly! I’m going to make more time for myself, too! I’m always tired, and everyone always wants things from me. I need to learn to say no. I got this! |
J A N |
It’s January. The biggest thing I learned from last year was that I need to be more present. I’m either on the phone doom-scrolling and texting when I’m with friends and family, or I’m binge-watching shows. I can’t remember the last time I had a real belly-laugh, and I haven’t felt like the real me in a while. I have to shift my thinking. |
|
February is already here! Okay, I’ve had some workouts and kept myself pretty much on track. It’s about progress, not perfection. Valentine’s Day is coming up. What do I need to do for it? What will people think about me during that week? Everyone is constantly posting these great videos, and here I am with my workouts and air-fryer recipes. I want to do something this year. |
F E B |
February already?! Well, I’ve been doom-scrolling a little less and have been trying to read books. It sucks. I get so bored. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool to learn stuff, but I still haven’t had my belly-laugh. Maybe I’m going about it wrong. I’m going to try a cooking class. I like hands-on stuff, and who doesn’t like food?! |
You can already start to see the distinctions between these two thought processes.
Neither has anything to do with motivation, discipline, or effort.
Both want to change and start implementing improvements in their new year. The subtle difference is that one (“A”) allows time to happen and reacts to it, while the other (“B”) actively observes how they move through time and adjusts based on what they’re producing. This is where you see most people lose momentum without even realizing it. They keep themselves busy and hopeful, but they never slow down long enough to ask if what they’re producing is what they truly want.
Let’s continue the same example through a few more months.
| Thought Process A | Thought Process B | |
|---|---|---|
|
I can’t wait for my vacation! I’ve been looking for some deals and need to make a list of things I need from Amazon! I better not get sick during my week off! That always happens to me, and it really ticks me off! I kind of want a new phone for vacation, too. |
M A R |
Wow, cooking is NOT my thing. Also, I let myself revert to doom-scrolling by telling myself I needed to watch cooking videos on my phone. I’m not gonna pretend like I didn’t pick up a few good ideas, but I’m still not feeling like myself. Maybe I need to spend more time with friends. |
|
One more month til vacation, and I look and feel great! I really crushed my workouts so far this year! Those workout classes came in clutch, and I’m feelin’ my vibe. I can’t wait to post those beach pics! It’s my turn, and this is my time! |
J U N E |
I’m going on vacation next month. I’m looking forward to unwinding a little bit. I’ve never snorkeled before, so I’m going to give that a try with my friends. I need to make a list on my phone of everything I need! |
|
Summer is over, but my tan was on point! The vacation was amazing. I wish it wasn’t for just one week, though. Anyway, now I’m back to the grind. It’s review season at work, so I need to step up my game if I want to be considered for that promotion. I can’t wait to get it! I’m gonna reward myself with that all-you-can-eat rodizio that just opened nearby! |
S E P T |
Summer was pretty great. I took some tennis lessons, and it turns out I’m not bad at it. Work has been steady, too. It’s review season, and I know I’ve kept my focus on improving. I’m nervous I won’t get the promotion, but it won’t be a make-or-break. I should have communicated that a little more to my boss, though. I just always figure that no news is good news, but maybe that’s why I’m unsure about the promotion. |
This is the moment where consequences from nine months of action start showing. None of it happens with a sudden emotional breaking point, but instead through a slow-paced realization that missed opportunities could have been course-corrected sooner. Thought Process A assumes effort will speak for itself, while Thought Process B understands that true clarity comes from conversation. Most businesses, professionals, and relationships don’t fail because they lack capability, they fail because they wait too long to say the things that matter. They assume silence is protective, even though it has always proven to make things worse in the long run. Delaying feedback with silence will always lead to more complex issues.
Here is how the year finishes out in the example:
| Thought Process A | Thought Process B | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Holidays are coming! I can’t wait to eat like crazy for Thanksgiving! I found a great Pumpkin Pie recipe that’s going to wow everyone! I need to start my holiday shopping, too! It’s always expensive this time of year, and I need to save money for my next vacation! |
N O V |
I didn’t get that promotion. You know, I told myself I wouldn’t let it get to me, but it did. I decided to talk to my boss about it afterwards. Turns out, I was missing some important things in my day-to-day. They were little things, too. Stuff I’ve completely taken for granted. It’s silly, but not having a conversation about it sooner caused it. I could have tackled it right away had I given it the time it needed. |
|
Time FLEW by!! I’m burned out from all that end-of-the-year stress! I need to get back to my workouts because the holidays had me gaining a few pounds! It’ll be fine, and I can’t wait for vacation! I’m going to the other side of the world this time! This is going to be the year of me! |
J A N |
Last year, I learned A TON about myself. For starters, reading and cooking aren’t my thing – but Tennis is! Snorkeling in such beautiful waters was amazing, too. I definitely need to keep trying new things! My favorite part of the year was all the pictures I took with friends and family. I’m not rid of the doom-scrolling, but it’s not as bad. I feel so much more fulfilled. My biggest lesson came from work. It was about communication. I think that’s what was really missing. I thought it was about being present and belly-laughing, but really, I just needed to communicate more. I’ve spent my whole life talking to friends, family, and coworkers, thinking it was communication. I never realized it should be way more than that. That’s the presence that was missing with me, too. I feel like a more well-rounded person this year, but I don’t want to stop now. This year will be about communicating – really doing it, though, not just talking – but listening. I want to listen to my mom and dad more. They won’t be around forever. I want to listen to my boss more. He teaches me stuff all the time. I want to listen to friends more. Every time I do, I connect with them so much deeper. I can’t wait to see what I can bring to this year! |
Overall, Thought Process “A” fell into a pattern of timely repetition, otherwise known as a reactive cycle, despite seemingly having enjoyed themselves. In contrast, Thought Process “B” was very introspective and held a deepening sense of self-fulfillment, known as intentional engagement.
The words you speak to yourself affect the actions you take. You are part of the environment you surround yourself with. Stop running away from facing the changes that will move your marker. In the example above, Thought Process B’s catalyst for success wasn’t because they tried snorkeling or tennis. It was because they reviewed, reflected, and adjusted their actions in real time (the now). While Thought Process “A” reacts to time, Thought Process “B” audits time.
Effort often becomes the reward for those in a cycle of reactivity. Those practicing intentional engagement, however, review outcomes. That’s what drives clarity, and in turn, creates stronger long-term opportunities.
A lot of people will label certain feelings as “burnout” when it could instead be prolonged misalignment. It’s the heaviness of avoided conversations after spending months (or even years) moving forward without stopping to ask whether a direction still makes sense. When managers, significant others, owners, or friends feel the enjoyable energy fade in a relationship, job, or community, it’s rarely because someone is truly incapable. Instead, it’s likely their effort is disconnected from clarity.
The loss of focus is not a random result. It breaks down because attention is placed everywhere except where it matters the most.
You have a choice to make. Right now.
Don’t trick yourself into ignoring it, or falsely committing, because the only person you’ll be fooling is yourself. So, do you want a year that drives you, or do you want to focus on how you can drive your year?
