« Mind Your Motive! »

A choice is an act of conscious selection of one of the two or more options.The option that is selected is the preferred option of the ones that are available.Thus, a choice is an expression of preference.Any choice is.Even if you are choosing between two very bad options.This is what we mean when we say that we chose “the lesser of the evils.”The “lesser of the evils” – as undesirable as it is in general – is nevertheless a preferred option.Thus, any choice is in the direction of wellbeing. Any choice – if granted – is a satisfaction of a desire, even if that desire is for nothing more than “the lesser of the evils.”Whatever the choice may be, if you made it, you freely expressed a preference.What’s left is to own your motivation and to live with the consequences of your choice. Not to do so would be unfair to others.If, for example, you are putting long days at work because, as a perfectionist, you rely on stellar performance to feel good about yourself, it just wouldn’t be fair to reproach your family by reminding them of how hard you work. Sure, they might benefit from the extra money you are bringing home, but, let’s face it, you aren’t doing it for them, you are doing it for you.So, enjoy rather than reproach!If you are doing it for you, they owe you nothing.Instead of reminding others of what they owe you, be mindful of your own motives!