Have you ever made a major decision to change something in your life and then failed to follow through with it?

A comparison of any local gym on January 2 with the same gym in late February is a perfect example of abandoned goals. It’s only human to set high standards for ourselves, but it seems as if all too often these plans fail to reach fruition.

I think our constant hunger for change is usually a very positive thing; when people in our society see something they don’t like, they have the freedom and motivation to do something about it.

It’s difficult to imagine where we would be right now if nobody ever took the initiative to make a drastic change. However, it’s easy to get ahead of ourselves. In my opinion, desirable ends are usually the result of realistic means.

It’s like running a race: the person who sprints ahead at the starting line without considering the rest of the race will slow down or quit before the finish line. The best runners approach things reasonably and don’t expect instant returns for their efforts.

The same goes for making any sort of major decision in life. It’s easy (and fun) to dive right into something without thinking twice about it, but it’s just as easy to walk away from it soon afterward.
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to run headlong into a new project. In fact, sometimes the excitement is all the value a person needs. But for important decisions, moderation is essential.

Investing time and thought into a decision makes it more valuable to the person doing the deciding, which will ultimately make him or her more likely to stick with it.

Personally, I’m guilty of getting ahead of myself all too often. I get on room-cleaning kicks where I meticulously organize every single thing I own, but the effort wears me out so much that I abandon any sort of tidy habits the very next day.
I once decided to become a master Yu-Gi-Oh champion (I was young, people), but I pursued the hobby too fervently and now all I’m left with is an embarrassingly large card collection.

My point is that major decisions shouldn’t be pursued with extreme measures. I’m all for doing extreme things, but you won’t meet many skydivers who didn’t spend some down time considering the details of what they were doing.

Think back to award shows you’ve watched or acceptance speeches you’ve heard. Successful people often reference the long road to where they ended up. The people who gain quick fame usually lose it just as quickly (remember Rebecca Black?).

Putting thought into a decision is like investing money in successful stock; the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. To stumble blindly through anything is a waste of valuable talent.

So next time you’re looking for change, consider taking the less exciting route. Chances are you’ll get there eventually.