Life is filled with decisions. Some small: what will I have for breakfast? Some more serious and long-term: Where should I invest for my future?
Some decisions are profound and life changing such as getting married, having children, entering the military or changing careers. The decisions that change your life forever are called vampire decisions.
In her book “Transformative Experience” L. A. Paul makes the point that most of us are ill-prepared to make big decisions. “You have no idea what you’re getting into,”.
For example, having a child. Once the baby arrives, every aspect of the parents’ lives is up ended: their routine goes out the window along with their budget. They are exhausted. They report lower life satisfaction. Yet few parents can imagine ever going back to their pre-child days. No matter how much planning went into the decision, their new lives are full of surprises, good and not so good.
A transformational decision may be seen as a calling rather than a choice. I was born to do this, or We were destined to be together.
When making transformational decisions, people often ask, what will this new experience do to and for me?
Sometimes we leap before we think. Remember; Vampire decisions, like vampire bites, change your world forever.
- Will doing this make me a better person?
- Will it give me more courage, more patience or more joy?
- What can I do to ensure this decision will give me the outcome I desire?
The road is easier together,
Linda Laitala, President
Raven Performance Group