The Daily Deposit: The Illusion of Choice - 1/23/2025
Over the weekend, I started listening to 'It Takes What It Takes' by Trevor Moawad. Moawad is a renowned mental performance coach who worked with numerous major college sports teams and NFL teams and players. Many people, including myself, discovered him through his work with Super Bowl champion and likely future Hall of Famer, Russell Wilson.
I have to admit it took a while to listen to and get into the book. I've also learned that when I buy books, I typically don't read them until I need them. One of the things that Moawad discussed in the book was the 'illusion of choice.' Here is a direct quote from the book, taken from a talk Moawad gave to the University of Alabama football team:
MY point is that THE ONLY CHOICE YOU HAD was to come to this school. — ONCE you chose that, you said, “I’M GOING TO BE ELITE.” — If that’s true, then the FORMULA is the FORMULA. — YEARS from now when they look back at this ALABAMA team, all that WILL BE LEFT is WHAT WE DID. — NOT what WE COULD HAVE DONE, if only this or this happened. — IF we are ELITE—IF we are a team who BELIEVES BIG—then WE DON’T have a “choice” about how we finish this SPRING. — NONE. — THIS game rewards people who DO IT RIGHT. — THIS game has demands—YOU DO them and succeed or YOU DON’T do them and you struggle. THERE is no middle area. — MY point is we don’t “have a choice” about how we are going to do things if we are going to STAY TRUE to the goals WE ALL made to start this year.”
Alabama has an elite program with elite players, yet everyone in the program has to make the decision of whether to be elite. Just because you were elite last year doesn't mean you will be that this year.'
85% of business leaders have suffered from decision distress, regretting, feeling guilty about, or questioning a decision they made in the past year. I think people struggle to make decisions because their goals are either vague or non-existent.
When the goal is to be successful, then you don't have a choice in whether you do the things it takes to be successful or not. In theory, you have a choice, we call it free will, but in reality, in order to have the life you want, there is no choice.
To get the goal, you must do the things to get it. This is not a bad thing; it produces clarity, and clarity is a precursor to right action.
If you're ready to clean up your thinking, join my free 3-day mental cleanup challenge.