The other day, I had a casual conversation with a young man who was torn between two job offers. He couldn’t decide which route was the better choice.

He had recently relocated to a small city because he’d accepted an exciting job offer. He was on the job for only a few days when another offer came in – back in the big city he’d just left.  His family was still there and about to move to his new location. The other job would have provided a reasonable increase in his annual salary.

As we talked further, it was clear he was working through the different angles to evaluate this dilemma, and he put great thought into the situation. Should I stay? Should I take the other offer? Or should I call my new, current employer and see if there might be a possibility of an additional boost in salary?

The more we talked, it was heartening to see how he worked through the different scenarios. The lure of money is always strong – especially in a one-income family with a young child. Yet there was a deep wisdom welling up inside him.

Any of the 3 options were viable paths. Without knowing more about the situation . . . if it were you . . . how would you choose?

A few days later, he approached me at a meeting with a big smile. “I’m staying with the new job here,” he said. Clearly, he was very happy with the decision. He and his wife had worked through it together.  “She’s a smart person,” he told me, “and I take to heart her view on things.”  It was an opportunity to make a fresh start, he told me, and to get away from some old habits that he no longer wanted to be a part of.  Plus, the current position was a ground floor opportunity that included potential for moving up.

Wow!

When you are faced with tough choices, or you make a decision and then something else more enticing lands in your lap, how do you react? Do you beat yourself up because you feel you may have made a wrong decision? Or do you congratulate yourself on making a valid decision and trusing your inner gut to lead you the to the right path?

There is value in MAKING a decision versus procrastinating or staying stuck in an old situation that no longer serves you.

Each situation must stand on its own merit – different things are at stake and need to be evaluated. Here are 3 questions to help you work through the process:

1 – What appeals to you with each option?  On a sheet of paper, write down all the positive things you can think about regarding each option.  Is one list heavier than the other? Then, also write down any not-so-great attractions about each one.

Don’t rush through this process. It’s easy to skip over some “not-so-great” items such as costs to relocate losing deposits on utilities, rental commitments . . . (did you research it or are you giving it a rough guess?) . . . lost wages while relocating . . . stress on family . . . and so forth.

2 – In looking at the list of positive things related to these options, which ONE thing is the most important for you? Which one carries more weight in your decision making? Try to put a value on that. (Value is not always money, but could be a feeling or knowing.)

3 – Ask yourself, “What would I lose if I don’t chose the other option?”  If you make Choice A – what do you lose by not choosing B?

Using the young man’s scenario, it might be: If I stay, I get a fresh start for my family. By staying I give up $6000.

Now, here’s the way I phrased the bonus question for him:  What is the long-term value you’ll gain by choosing to stay with your new job?  You could see the light bulb go on – by choosing a new lifestyle that would set him on a higher, brighter path, he was able to see that it was worth much more than $6000.

The wisdom and thoughtfulness he put into this one decision are tools that will strengthen as he moves ahead in his life. This young man is a shining example of the new generation that is entering the workforce today.

And now my bit of wisdom for YOU:  No matter what your decision, there will always be other options coming your way.  Know and trust that the decision you make (or made), is the RIGHT choice for this moment in time. It is the CORRECT option. There is a knowing, an internal wisdom in each of us. If we allow it to be heard, it will ALWAYS take us down the right path.
 
“See” you soon!

Have a Golden Day!
Coach Darlene