Time is running out.

I believe conscious living requires two things:

1. Mindful observation of the present moment.
2. Deliberate action.

But what does it mean to be deliberate with your action?

To me, for an action to be deliberate, it must align with your personal values and principles, and it must be taken with conviction. (Note: I’ve written about this topic a little more in-depth in my post The Two Aspects.)

Lately, I’ve been considering the gravity of decision.

Our time on this Earth is finite. From the moment we are born there exists an invisible clock counting down the seconds we have left to experience the universe.

Every moment is singular and fleeting.

So what happens when we make a decision?

We’ll get to that, but first, let’s talk about art.

In visual arts, there is a concept in the study of composition called “negative space.” That is, the space that surrounds the subject. Or, put another way, it is everything that the subject of the piece isn’t.

When we talk about a painting, this negative space is itself limited by the canvas. Once the subject is painted, everything on the canvas apart from it may be considered negative space.

And so, it can be argued that negative space is just as important as the subject. When artists begin a piece, they must consider the composition as a whole. They must understand the intention across the entire canvas. Every stroke that extends the subject alters the negative space equally. And so, they’ll consider negative space just as they would the subject.

What isn’t is just as important as what is.

And decision is no different.

Committing to one decision means denying every other possibility. With every decision we make, we are occupying those singular and fleeting moments with action.

But what’s more amazing to me is that while the negative space of a painting is limited by the boundaries of the canvas, the negative space of our decisions has no such border. With every finite allocation of our singular and fleeting moments, we create an infinite collection of denied possibilities.

It may often feel like there are only a handful of options afforded to us. But this isn’t the case. We often limit ourselves based on routine, habit, or deductive thinking.

In every moment, there is infinite potential.

If there is a take-away from this line of thinking, it’s this: Consider opportunity cost.

When you make decisions in life, don’t only focus on the subject at hand, think about the negative space. Think about what you are giving up in making that decision.

Consider alternative opportunities. Then you can move forward with absolute intention.

2021-08-29