Recently, on a trip to New York City, I arrived at the airport on a Sunday afternoon only to discover that my flight was going to be delayed 4 hours. Due to looming bad weather, no flights were taking off or landing at JFK airport. I had a choice to make. Do I stay and wait hoping my flight would go out that night, or do I take action? After checking with an airline rep, I learned that if my flight did not go out that night, the next available flight wouldn’t be until Tuesday. All flights the next day were completely booked. I took action.
I had a similar situation just four months prior at the same airport. Based on that experience, I convinced my two travel companions that we needed to take matters into our own hands and rent a car to drive back to Buffalo. I quickly mapped out all of the options and consequences, communicating rapidly, so we could make the best decision quickly. After a seven-hour car ride home, we arrived safely in Buffalo knowing we made the right decision upon learning our delayed flight had indeed been cancelled.
In life we are faced with difficult decisions daily. I was fortunate in the above scenario to have had previous experience, knowledge of the right questions to ask, and the temperament to move forward when faced with an obstacle.
Think about the decisions you have to make daily.
- First, consider that there is usually more than one solution to a problem and you can choose to be a part of that solution rather than a part of the problem.
- Next, consider that you can take charge of the situation rather than let the situation take charge of you.
- Reflect: don’t be overwhelmed, be informed. What experience do you have that will shed light on the situation? What questions do you need to ask and whom do you need to ask to gather all the information to have the right perspective?
- Review: study all of your available options and choose the best one for the moment.
- Finally, take action: move forward confidently with your choice.