The CDs of Life

Life I believe is a series of Choices and Decisions. It would be amazing if they were conscious choices and decisions that we deliberately and intentionally made, which I call a Life with Purpose and Intention.

Anyways all these cliches and philosophical B.S aside, the reason I am thinking of choices and decisions is I have been self reflecting lately on where I was and how far I have come. What triggered me to take the path I took so far ?

My journey would be incomplete or not justified by my rationale brain, if I didn't talk about the Choices and Decisions I made.

I truly believe life is a series of choices and decisions we make. I like to preferably think they are conscious decisions but someone who has a better knowledge on this subject concluded that our Choices and Decisions can lead us to 4 stages of growth.

• Unconscious Incompetence - we don't know that we don't know
• Conscious Incompetence - we know that we don't know (important stage of growth)
• Unconscious Competence - we don't know that we know
• Conscious Competence - we know that we know.

I am not entirely sure where I fell when I started as I wasn't thinking rationally. I  was very touchy-feely and in the mode of "Lets live life adventurously". Anyways I tend to follow my heart more often than I listen to my brain. Atleast thats what I like to think or the story I keep telling myself.

We can only connect the dots backwards.  I remember reading somewhere on the Internet which was talking about the "Victim Vs Creator" mentality. It resonated with me alot and I feel it had a good impact on me. Until then I was always giving reasons and thinking

• "I wish I did that"
• "I wish I could do that"
• "I wish I had more fun" etc etc

I was in the wishy washy world in a way playing the role of the victim by pointing my fingers at the circumstances. More often we might tend to rationalize ourselves and play the role of a victim by saying

• Because of My parents.... I didn't do well or didn't have the freedom
• Because of the place I was born .... I didn't have the opportunities
• Because of My Boss....I am not enjoying my job
• Because I don't have money.....I can't afford to travel
• Because of this.... Because of that... Because of those people... Because of those circumstances... Blah Blah Blah..

Anyways I guess you  know where I am going with this. The victim mentality finds something external to find fault with or puts the blame on

My life changed when I made a conscious decision to CHOOSE the Creator Mentality. I consciously (atleast I like to think so) said to myself "I am no longer going to play the role of a victim. I will take ownership of all the things that happened in my life and will happen in my life. I am the Owner of my life and the creator of my destiny"

Yes this might sound like some spiritual mumbo jumbo but take the gist of it for what it's worth. It is very liberating and empowering when we realize truly and in spirit that we are the creator of our destiny and we can change our lives.

While I was in college I worked in the library and it gave me access to lot of books and also I spent a lot of time on the Internet all the while thinking I am wasting a lot of time. Who knew that Internet browsing and randomly going through books in the library will make me come across folks like Zig Ziglar, Steve Pavlina, Leo Babouta, Robert Kiyosaki, Stephen Covey. Those were few of the many authors who definitely influenced my thinking and competency. I guess they helped me from one stage of growth to other in certain aspects of my life. I can definitely say I have progressed from Unconscious incompetent to Conscious Competent in regards with certain aspects of running, while I might still be unconscious incompetent or unconscious competent in other aspects of running. Who knows only time will tell. As Steve Jobs would say "We can only connect the dots backwards".

I like to think I am where I am today because of the choices and decisions I made and I like to think they were conscious choices that I made through the influence of people who did what I wanted to do. I read many books but I  only gravitated to few, which makes me think that it was my "Conscious decision to choose what I want in my life"

This world needs people who take ownership and have the courage to move forward with their choices and decisions. Good, Bad or Ugly. Own them. Own  life.

I am glad I made some good choices and decisions that lead me to set goals to run marathons, travel around the world, write a book, create apps, become financially literate. Also I truly believe "Sharing is Caring" and I am glad I am currently able to share some of my life experiences with friends and family.  I will count my life well lived - even if one person can resonate with some of my choices and decisions and if it had impacted his/her life in any way. Again I am just the messenger or communicator of  my experiences  and all the good that I picked in this world which was passed on to me by others who shared their experiences. Hopefully this message will help someone become the creator and own his/her life. Even if nobody listens I might just read this to my future dog or grand kid who might just flip me off or think this OLD GUY is Crazy.  Yes crazy enough to change the world for better or read a book to my dog or the grand kid :)