Decision Is Not A Mere Justification

            Decision, decide, should have been two very familiar words to us. We make choices everyday based on preferences, purpose, cost and benefit, as well as other considerations. We often question whether or not our decision is correct and how it will results in the future. Usually, driven by the desire to always make the right decision, we list hundreds of possible points to justify our choices. We turn decision making process into a voting inside our head. Which side will be the winner depends on how many justifications we can think of to support it in order to stand still.

                What we forget is that justifications is merely a matter of logic. Just like flowing water in a stream that can be redirected into any direction we want if we have a pump, so does the flow of logic that generates a justification. This requires quite a high intelligence, but the smarter someone gets or he thinks he is, the more confusing decision making can get. It is because he/she can always argues or justifies both sides with equally powerful justifications. A logic that is used to make a justification supporting certain side can also be turned against the exact same side and can give birth to doubts and never-ending questions. A person who decides solely based on justifications is usually less decisive and doesn’t have quite strong stance. Being able to justify one side more than the opposite is not an achievement. That means he/she has not been able to identify any other possible justifications thoroughly, especially the one that is against his/her stance. Complicated isn’t it? And on top of that less effective.

            Decision is not a mere justification, means that justification should never be used as an ultimate waepon moreover as the only parameter to make a decision. Have anyone ever decide on something just because it feels right eventhough we can not think of any justification yet to support it? Yes, I believe everybody has. It is called deciding based on our gut. It might sounds silly, but it is actually a natural mechanism for human’s brain to generate a decision. Our brain subconsciously have the ability to access memories and to analyze a situation way faster than what our conscious mind can keep up with. If we ever swear long ago to have certain principals in living or we ever have memories about certain passions as well as when we decide to achieve certain goals, our brain have access it all without us realizing and put it into consideration before sending it back to our conscious thought as guts or feeling of what is right to do. Amazing isn’t it? This is the first step of making a good decision. 

            For the next step, we should think of what we want by making that decision. What purpose we want to achieve and which way suit our principals best. This is the starting point of considering any possible justifications. A good decision is suppose to make us enjoy the final result as well as the process that we will have to go through. The process may not be pretty and not less filled with obstacles, but we can enjoy it enough to keep our determination up. It is very important that every decision we make suits our own personal ways, regardless of what other people may think. Be brave and be bold. Every human is created to be unique and fated to be different. We are only granted with one lifetime, so why do we choose to spend it under other people’s shadow and keep watching their back that blocks us from a wider view about the world.

                Won’t life be fair if a good decision can only be made by those who can generate sophisticated justifications?  Because every people is created differently . Different in physical state, intelligence, tallent, and perspective. Meanwhile, the need to make a decision is universal. From a simple choice into a complicated life changing decision. Therefore, God never set a qualification that decision should only be made by those with high intelligence. In the opposite, won’t it be better to let someone that is decisive and responsible to decide? And aevery person have the same chance to develop that quality if he/she is eager to learn and reflects from every mistakes that was made. The ability to recognize our ourself, potentials, passion, and goals are way more important, especially if we want to learn to be decisive. Because life itself is like a never-ending learning at a classroom, and the hardest subject is to learn about our own personality.