“A wise man makes his own decisions.  An ignorant man follows public opinion.”

–     A Chinese Proverb

Look, if our goal is to make a difference, one way we can do it is to decide.  To decide.  To act.

Many will prefer the status quo.  Many will offer their “Monday Morning Quarterback 2 cents” well after input is needed, let alone wanted.  The espousers of public opinion tend to lay low and seek to blame others for outcomes — unless they’re rosy and pleasant for everyone.  (By the way, weigh in here with the last outcome you encountered that was rosy and pleasant for everyone.  No hurry.  We’ll wait…)

The weak people blame.  “Well, if my parents had been wealthier…”  “Gee, if only you hadn’t…”  “It’s all ________’s fault…”

Blame is a loser’s game.  And un-willingness to act is it’s best tactic.

Easy decisions really aren’t decisions at all, in the grand scheme of things.  If it’s obvious, either it should have already been done, or a bigger picture is there, if only we’d look for / at it.  Difficult decisions call for clarity of mind, for preparation, for honoring experiences and instincts and for the kind of fortitude that isn’t commonly found in the general public.

Abraham Lincoln had to decide.  Harry Truman had to decide.  The guys on the ground at NASA while Apollo 13 was floating around all willy nilly through space had to decide.  If you’re a parent, you have to decide.  And guess what?  If you’re a leader of people — of teams and / or functions, there are times when you have to decide.

Difference makers decide.  And, when the second guessing begins, they separate themselves from the rest of the pack — from public opinion — because they’re already moving forward.