Tacit decisions

We make an infinite number of decisions every day.

Obviously, we don’t pay attention to an infinity of them, but we make them nonetheless. Every potential decision that we could be making today but ignore is a choice for the status quo. Whether it’s our routine, our job, our circle of friends, our service subscriptions, our beliefs, etc. By not re-examining those tacit decisions, we choose, unconsciously, that their current configuration is worth perpetuating.

I believe this is worth reminding myself once in a while. Lately, I’d felt that something wasn’t as it should be and started becoming anxious without understanding why. In my case, this was a signal to re-evaluate certain life choices to align them with my values. However, this got me thinking about what other tacit decisions I’m not paying attention to. I’ll admit I’m still working on the answer, but a useful learning is that it’s a skill that can be developed. I’d categorize it as a special brand of introspection. The key is to do it purposely, to actively identify the tacit decisions that are most valuable to revisit. Granted, this requires a sharp self-awareness, but I believe it’s better to aim for an approximate answer than to not look.

Have you rethought some tacit decisions lately? It’s been a game changer for my mood, 10/10, would recommend.