A rock and a hard place — What and how should we choose?

Decisions, the most important things we do — voluntarily or not voluntarily. The ultimate paradox, in that even when we choose not to make a decision, that itself is still making a decision.

But what do we do when we are forced to make a decision between two seemingly difficult choices? Whether it’s food choices or comparatively more important, pass or fail, stay or leave, life or death; there are choices in life that we must all make that challenge our identities, our faith, our confidence and our perspectives .

Often referenced as “rocks and hard places”, how do improve our ability to make decisions when faced with two or more hard choices, with a variety of consequences that are often unknown?

The simple answer in short is, pick the rock. The rock is your values, your principles that should be immovable; they protect you, they hold you firm and secure in troubled waters, they are your weapon when faced with the Goliath of hard places that will earn you a victory; they are your truth.

Hard places, the different situations we experience in life, change. They can move, you can move; even when it’s seemingly hard. Whether it’s a relationship, business or work-related; they are inevitably always going to be different in some form. Places, whilst often symbols of comfort, or challenge, should not be what you place key decisions on, because when we do, the decision is not from a place of truth but fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of being alone, fear or being different, fear of appearing difficult.

The burden and the pain of making such difficult decisions is not to be understated. Someone or something will be effected, sometimes this will seem painful or unfair; it may seem overbearing or you may not feel strong enough to cope with the consequences; but I promise you, better to find comfort in your principles, values and your truth; than in houses which offer few guarantees and less peace.

So if you ever find yourself having to pick between a rock and hard place, pick the rock; it’s harder but when the options are either ‘truth’ or ‘fear’, one will set you free to move forward and the other will trap you in a present that should be your past.