Is there just one way to live life? Is there just one “perfect” solution to every problem/situation? Does everyone have to follow a template? Finish high school, get a college degree, work at the top of your field, find a partner, get married, have a kid(s), and repeat the cycle all over again?

If you ask me, I’d say that there is no “perfect” solution to a situation, not always, at least. When you end up in a situation that calls you to make a decision you have not had a chance to make before, it is natural to seek help from within or outside. You’d then go on to collect different ideas, evaluate them, pick the best idea of the lot, execute it, and deal with the repercussions should any arise. If your situation calls for five different things to go right, the best idea or way forward might include all five things happening the way you want. But the best idea might also have just one out of the five things going your way or sometimes none. It is okay to accept situations where the best possible idea touches on only one or none of those five things you want to get done. Stay focused on finding the best possible idea that covers all five because a single decision does not derail your life and life plan. As Rich Roll said in his book. Finding Ultra, and I am paraphrasing here, is not just completing a challenge but how you deal with adversity that builds character.

Moreover, if there was just one way to deal with a situation, and if everyone just executed this one way, the collective expertise would be next to useless when a more complex challenge and novel arises. Because there was no varied experience up until that point, people might not be thinking about a situation differently. I firmly believe that our past experiences influence our thoughts and actions. So choose a way forward, make the best out of your decision, and deal with detours when they arise. If you need to course correct, brainstorm ideas, pick the best option forward, and repeat the process.