Choosing the Right Path

I’ve recently started college and let me just say, high school does NOT prepare you. They may prepare you academically – teaching the mathematical formulas, proper spelling, grammar, scientific theories, and the names and dates of historic events. But in terms of the things that you actually face in college – dealing with living with people you don’t know, trying to find direction in life, learning how to meet people (and choose friends wisely), how to stand up for yourself and your beliefs, etc – high school definitely doesn’t prepare you.

It has definitely been a crazy first month living away. I’ve met a lot of new people, am getting used to studying and writing papers again, and I’ve been getting used to my new roommates. Its a hard trying to find my way. Trying to learn how to find where I fit and learn more about myself. Everyday is a new lesson learned

The most intimidating part about college is the fact that I am creating the rest of my life, today. Its an extremely scary thought. Whatever I choose to do today, effects the rest of my life and the experiences of tomorrow. This may seem a little extreme to most people. I mean come home, if I screw up today, isn’t tomorrow always a new day? And in the Christian mindset, aren’t the Lord’s mercies new every morning (Lam. 3:23)? Well yes, all of that is true, but that doesn’t change the fact that “my decisions today DO effect my experiences tomorrow” (Stanley, Andy. “The Principle of the Path”). And the truth is, those decisions effect the rest of my life; what path I choose will effect the destination I find myself in

My dad, Michael Hyatt, recently gave me the book The Principle of the Path by

Andy Stanley. Incredible book. I started reading it, but was extremely skeptical at first – was this just another self-help book providing steps to get the “best life”? But what I found inside the covers of the book, was an astounding truth. “Direction – not intention – determines your destination.” It doesn’t matter how good our intentions are we will never end up at the destination we want without direction. I can sit all day and have best intention to do well in my classes, but if I don’t actually get out my books, a pen, and paper and study, I will not succeed. While trying to figure out where I want to be in 10 years – possibly happily married, financially stable, being a journalist for a food magazine, surround by incredible friends, all while maintaining a lasting relationship with God – I can have the best intentions while setting those goals, but so long as I don’t take the steps to get to those destinations, I will NEVER end up there.

Direction – not intention – determines your destination.

If you haven’t been convinced already, this book is extremely profound. I’m usually not one to read these books, but I was astounded at the evident truths inside. If your at any point in life where you are trying to make decisions (i.e. every single person on this earth), this book is for you.

Needless to say, I am learning the art of making the right decision. And in the words of Pastor Steve Berger of Grace Chapel, “Life is not about making the right decision, its about managing the right decision.” Its easy being a freshman in college being faced with multiple decisions everyday, but I’m slowly but surely learning how to make those decisions and manage them.

Questions to ponder:

• What decisions are you trying to make?
• How will you be sure that it is the right decision for you and your life?
• How do you plan to manage those decisions?
• Are you living in a way that recognizes that today’s decisions effect your experiences tomorrow and that direction – not intention – determines your destination?