Take the Spork in the Road

Former New York Yankees and New York Mets player, manager and coach, Yogi Berra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Berra), is known for his outrageous quotes. Yogi once said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." While you struggle through thinking what Yogi might have meant, let's talk about decision making.

A fork in the road usually means a choice between going left or going right. Sometimes the decision is obvious and easy. Sometimes the decision takes more analysis. For those bigger, far-reaching decisions, get appropriate counsel. (As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 24:6, "... in abundance of counselors, there is victory.") Sometimes both left and right are good decisions. Here is the thing. When you come to a fork in the road, you have to make a decision and act on it. Because, as my senior pastor, James MacDonald (http://jamesmacdonald.com/), said in a sermon a while back, "Not making a decision about something you need to make a decision about is making a decision." Analysis paralysis is a decision. It is not a good decision, but it is a decision.


So as you approach a fork in the road, avoid analysis paralysis. Instead think through and discuss the pros and cons of going left versus going right, make a decision and move with appropriate speed down that path. If you get down that path and realize going right would have been better than going left as you did, admit the error, learn from it, course correct and keep moving. Remember no decision is a decision. See there is some bit of wisdom in what Yogi Berra said about taking the fork in the road.


On a somewhat related note, if you ever come to a spork (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spork) in the road, follow Yogi Berra's advice completely. Take it. Sporks are great. More on that another time.