The other night I had a hot date with two of my Godchildren – Charles, who is nine and his sister Abbie, who is ten.
We had a great time – pizza, playing games, swapping stories, going to the State Park to learn more about ducks, then back to my place for hot chocolate and chilling out.
I love being with kids. They always teach me something new about how I complicate the simple. Last night’s lesson was about marshmallows.
It was a no-brainer that we’d go with the big ones. My main question was HOW MANY to put in each cup. That’s when I found out that “it doesn’t really matter how many – it matters how long the chocolate will stay hot (so you can keep putting them in).”
hmmmmmm…
When I think of all the times in my life I’ve based my important life choices on the wrong question, I’m stunned.
A few months ago I was revisiting my business plan – tweaking, adjusting and reassessing. I was asking myself the usual questions: what product changes are needed?; what are my customers saying?; how’s the profit margin?; to what charities shall I contribute this year?; and so on…
Then I realized I’d forgotten to ask the most important question – “Do I still LOVE doing this (is the chocolate still hot)?”
duh…
The answer, of course, is YES. So I proceeded answering the other questions. What if I’d forgotten to ask that one, though?
Thanks to Charles and Abbie, my decision-making process has now changed forever. When I have an important decision to make, the first question I’ll ask myself is “What’s the most important question I need to be asking?” Until I know THAT answer – I’ll wait.
How about you? How do you decide the important stuff?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
I call you! BTW, we use marshmallow fluff…so it’s one scoop or two. ymmmmers.
I’d like to say I deal with the important stuff by praying and then acting as I’ve discerned, but I know that is not always true. And even when I do pray, I’m not sure I’m asking the right question all the time.
You’ve given me a lot to think about today. Thanks!!!!
It’s often hard to even face the big questions, esp. the “loving what you do” part. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I am afraid I am sometimes guilty of just floating along on life’s river, getting snagged up on one thing, making do with it until some current releases me to snag up somewhere else for a while. I’d like to feel more involved in the decision making process, take more control, but sometimes it seems too scary. It seems easier to just bob there on the surface, whether moving along or snagged in one spot—at least I have my head above water!