Compound Decisions

Compound interest.  Einstein said it is the most powerful force in the universe.  This coming from a key architect of the atomic bomb carries a bit of significance.  If you've ever looked at the math of it, you can see what he meant.  But compound interest doesn't just involve math.  The decision to save, invest, and not spend on a consist, even relentless quest is what fuels compound interest's power.  And so, compounded decisions rather than interest provides the secret...one decision after another to use money wisely.  Do that over a year, a decade, and a lifetime and you will build a tremendous and unstoppable force.

This truth doesn't just apply to money, but all of life!

People don't just one day make one good decision that gives them a great marriage, a great business, great relationships, great success, or a great relationship with Jesus.  It is one decision after another after another.  To put it another way, Michael Jordan didn't become one of the best (if not THE best) basketball player of all time the day he first broke a record.  He compounded every shot he ever took to slowwwwwwllllllyyyy become the best basketball player that ever lived.  It is very much like moving a mountain, one pebble at a time.

And that's why most of us give up way too soon.  It is humbling (sometimes even humiliating) to see such little progress each moment of every day in pursuit of moving the mountain.  But this is how compounded decisions are created.  This is how we create momentum in all areas of life.  We choose each day with every decision to either build or destroy.  

People don't start out marriages knowing and wanting to cheat on their spouse.  It is a series of bad decisions that bring them to that point later on, by entertaining thoughts, desires, and emotions that compound and lead to the next bad decision.  This creates momentum towards an ultimately even worse decision that topples their marriage.  

But imagine if we intentional chose to build and strengthen and encourage and grow towards a positive vision and goal with every single decision...every thought, every moment?  If we really understood-as Einstein did-that each decision compounded on each other to help us reach a future goal, would we choose to take more seriously each moment?  We could build an amazing future.