Descartes once wrote, I think, therefore I am! and hidden in plain view amongst those five small words for all the world to see lays the secret to unlimited success. Do you see it?

Oh all right Ill fess up. Its so simple its (Drum roll please)

The power of CHOICE.

Yup, thats right choice. Free will. Raspberry, chocolate or vanilla. Up or down. Hot or cold. Choice.

Its the simple art of choosing: of making a conscious (and sometimes unconscious) choice.

What clothes to wear, what breakfast cereal to eat, what route to drive to work, what donut to have with your coffee. Its all about choice.

We make quite literally millions of choices everyday and theyre all important.

Why are they important? Because they colour your day-to-day world and determine your future. Yes, even that apparently innocent choice to have the donut with sprinkles on the top

Okay, so what does sprinkles have to do with tires? A heck of a lot actually.

Permit me to explain.

In business were faced with a constant stream of choices. How we respond (not react) is what determines the outcome. What you decide to think about something is your choice. If you choose to look at life and business as a challenge it will be. If you choose to look at life as a wonderful journey it will be that. Whatever you think it is youre right.

Think about that for a moment. Whatever YOU think your life is is

Woah! A Matrix moment Just like when Neo realizes hes been living in a dream world and hes about to step through the looking glass to take on the machines.

Now, if youve read my other articles (and why wouldnt you?) youd have read the article about Nazir Mawani from More Than Tires. Now theres a man who understands the power of choice.

During that interview I cannot recall one moment when he sounded bitter, angry or resentful about anything. He was just so darned upbeat so positive so happy. Its all a choice. And Nazir knows it.

He openly spoke about his passion for life and how he wished more people would grasp the simple truth that each day is what you make it. Its no more complex than that.

If you remember, Nazir had successfully operated dozens of businesses and still seems unjaded by the rigours of daily life. And dont think that life has always been a bed of roses for Nazir it hasnt been. Life has thrown him plenty of curve balls the kind of curve balls that might send some folks running for the locker rooms calling the game because of rain.

Nope, Nazir has taken his lumps and risen up from failures and hes still smiling.

Making choices takes practise. It also takes a sense of responsibility. You need to realize that you are the creator of your own destiny in all things. Remember, no choice is a choice. So you cant plead ignorance when something fails on you.

And the best way to help make choices is to arm yourself with as much information as you can get. Read voraciously. Listen to the news. Talk to like minded people. Talk to people with alternate viewpoints. Think and immerse yourself in whatever you wish.

And when life taps you on the shoulder and you need to make a choice youll be ready.

So do you want raspberry, chocolate or vanilla?

James Burchill

JAMES BURCHILL is an experienced Internet Marketing & Business Development specialist providing strategic and tactical solutions to select clients seeking to architect their on and offline marketing success. James is a published author, a passionate advocate of technology and the Internet, as well as an avid study of classical advertising and marketing strategies. Prior to establishing his own unique consulting practise, he served as VP of Professional Services and VP of IT & Consulting and implemented multi-million dollar solutions for Oracle, the British and US Governments, Rolls Royce UK and many others. James even taught Computer Science at one of Toronto's leading colleges and continues to coach private clients on a select basis. For more articles and information visit James' blog or his main web site.