What Makes For A Better Story | Life, Decisions, & Reflection

Ryan Malinowski- What Makes For A Better Story

Years from now when we’re old, we’ll look back at what we’ve done so far in our lives and reflect upon it.

Who’s lives we’ve touched….

What brought us meaning….

Why we chose to take the particular paths we did….

Life is all about choices.

Those choices that we make lead us down the road on this journey called LIFE.

***Every time that I hit a tough decision or choice in life (job, opportunity, roadblock, etc), I always ask myself the following question:

Of my options, what choice will make for a better story?

(when looking back 10, 20, 30+ years down the road)

Too many individuals make important life decisions based on:

  • the critical opinion of others
  • what’s expected of them
  • fear of the unknown

We see this every day!

Here’s a few examples:

“Don’t go to college for that major, it doesn’t pay well and you won’t get a job”

“If you don’t go to college, you’ll be stuck working fast food”

“Don’t start a business, that’s risky”

This is unfortunate……

Although these 3 examples may hold validity to them at times, they are mostly full of BS. 

I know a graduate who holds 2 degrees from an Ivy League school (also won Jeopardy —–I know, crazy). He’s still working for $9/hr at a golf course.

I know several college dropouts who have achieved great success regardless of their formal credentials on paper.

I know that every business ever created was started by someone who was willing to risk building the venture in the first place.

You (and I) should strive to make more decisions in our lives based on our gut instinct (what we truly feel is right to us).

Hence why the following question is really helpful when it comes to making CHOICES.

What choice will make for a better story later in life?

When I was deciding whether or not to play professional hockey in Europe after graduating from university, I asked myself this question.

Traveling to another country to play a kids game (hockey) & immersing myself in a foreign culture certainly trumped my alternative options.

I’m confident that decision will always make for a better story later in life.

No matter how big or small a decision is, it’s important to take the time to make the right choice for yourself.

Stuck choosing between 2 job offers…..choose the job you love even if it pays a little less. It will make for a better story.

Going on vacation….roll a dice with six destinations on it to determine where you’re headed. It will make for a better story.

Listen to your own intuition before the noisy opinion of so many others.

This to will always make for a better story……

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