How To Become More Decisive

On Reilly’s concept of “how to become more decisive”.

Reilly and Flaherty had gone on an almighty skite after Connacht beat the Cardiff Blues in the Sportsground in February. They landed in Wards pub four sheets to the wind and Reilly repaired to the Gents as Flaherty proceeded to put a round on with Anthony at the bar.

Unfortunately, in the act of addressing the urinal, a five euro note escaped from his pocket and found its way into the flotsam and jetsam of Saturday evening’s flow.

As Reilly was contemplating his response Flaherty arrives and assesses the situation with considerable glee.

‘Now you have a bold decision to make Reilly. I wonder what’ll you do?

Quick as a wink, Reilly whips out his wallet, extricates a €50 note, and throws it into the urinal.

Flaherty was now dumbfounded in addition to being hammered, always a lethal combination in his case.

‘You idiot. I can’t believe what I’ve just seen. Are you just after throwing a €50 note on top of a €5 note?

‘Of course’ said Reilly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

‘You didn’t think I’d stick my hand in there for €5, did you?

LEARNINGS.

On how to become more decisive.

The more skin you have in the game, the greater your commitment.

In many of the clutch decisions in our lives we arrive at a tipping point or emotional conundrum between ‘will I?’ or ‘won’t I? Your decision is influenced greatly by your association of pain or pleasure with the outcome.

Sometimes, like Reilly in this instance, we need need to associate massive pain with our decision-making. When the loss was merely a fiver, there was insufficient pain to motivate Reilly to act. When there was €55 at stake the decision was a lot easier.

Therefore, in order to help you how to become more decisive and committed you may need to associate massive pain with not making the decision or alternatively, massive pleasure with making the decision.

QUOTES.

‘Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!’

― William Hutchison Murray