Every human's life is majorly a product of their choices. Each day we live, we are faced with a lot of choices to make - these include small choices, big choices, the good ones and the not-so-good ones. The difference between success and failure, between peace and regret, between motion and stagnation, can come down to making a choice of long-term goals over just momentary pleasure. That is, making a choice that truly matters. Do not just choose based on what you feel like, but because you know that choices have the power to determine the course of your life.
Image from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/vectors/man-confusion-decision-choice-9305300)
You may have a freewill to choose, but you may not have the freewill to determine the consequences of your choice. There are times that people only focus on choosing short-term pleasures at the expense of the future. This is because it is actually easy to make that choice, it feels more attractive, and it can give instant satisfaction. But at the end, you will discover that there are more to life than just the moment. As a student for example, you may feel like partying, then coming back and having a good night rest without flipping your books. It is true that it can bring temporary satisfaction, but when you consider your academics, you will know the choice to choose from - either to pursue short-term gratification or your long-term goal of academic excellence.
I once observed my uncle in his farmland many years ago, and I realised something. He was a farmer and was so committed to it. There was a time that he started planting oil palm. Then I asked him how long it will take for it to mature and start producing fruits, he said about 5 years. I was shocked how he was going to wait up to that time, when he can just plant maize and harvest it under 6 months. I asked him, and he simply told me that he was sowing into the future. By the time the palms started bringing fruits, they were massive. Fast-forward to now, many years after his is gone, his palm plantation is among the biggest in the town, and his family is still making a fortune from it. He made a choice of long-term instead of just settling for short-term satisfaction.
What you do today, no matter how inconsequential it may look at the moment, will be what will add up to create your tomorrow. Your choices of today will not leave you the same way. As a matter of fact, your choices are fundamentally part of what make you who you are. Your choices are like planting a seed. When you plant a seed, it may take a while, but it does not mean that the seed will not bring fruits. When the time comes, it will bring forth fruits. In the same way, when you make a choice, you may not see the effects immediately. But after a while, the cumulative effects of the choices will begin to take effect. This is why you have to make the right choice of what truly matters.
Image from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/illustrations/success-goal-statistics-arrows-7791029)
Just to let you know; there are times that the choice of short-term pleasure becomes the enemy of long-term success. For example, choosing comfort now may hinder you from seeing the greatness that lies ahead. You will be surprised how lots of people have missed good opportunities simply because they settled for what they want now instead of what they would want the most. The present serves as a defining moment for the future. It is either you choose to pay the price of making the right choice today or you may pay the price of regret later. Remember that you only have this present to take the actions you want to. The past is gone, the future may not even be guaranteed, so make the most out of the present moment.
Each time you want to take an action or make a choice, or take a decision, always ask yourself if it will matter in the future and not just now. Also ask yourself if it will move you closer to your goals or if it will take you away from them. This will help you to understand if you really need to take the decision or not. It does not mean that you should be perfect in your decision, but it means you have a direction you want your life to take and you are putting in efforts to make it a reality.
***Thanks for reading***
Peace on y'all
