← The Imaginal Act, thirty days

Week 4 · Compound · Day 23 of 30

A decision with a review date

Today's intent (planned)

Record one real decision you are facing, choose if you are ready, and set the date you will look back at it.

The practice

  1. Set today's look-for in reality/log/<today>.md.
  2. Choose a decision that touches your aim or a priority domain, one you want to learn from later. It can be small.
  3. Write the context in three lines, then the options you really have, including "not now."
  4. If you are ready, write the choice and why. If not, keep the status open and write the date you will decide by.
  5. Pick a review date when the outcome will be visible, weeks or months out.
  6. Save it as reality/decisions/<today>-<slug>.md (Studio: Timeline). Front matter: decision: Take the Saturday writing class, day: <today>, review_on: <date>, status: decided or open. Then five headings: ## Context, ## Options, ## Choice, ## Why, and ## Outcome (filled at review).

For a health, money or legal decision, name under Context the qualified professional you consulted or will consult.

Why it works

Meaning

A decision written down is a small act of ownership: this was mine, made with what I knew. You can return to it later with kindness. You decided with the information of that day, and that deserves respect.

Mechanism

A sound decision can meet a bad outcome, and the reverse, because outcomes also depend on chance and on other people. Writing your reasons before the result lets you judge the decision and the outcome separately at review, instead of rewriting the past from what happened. The review date makes sure the learning happens.

Tonight (reported)

Add an entry at the top of reality/witness.md, headed ### <today> <time> · lesson, or · move if the choice took courage (Studio: Witness):

  • Happened (fact): The decision, in one line.
  • Meant (my meaning): What choosing it means to you.
  • Did (action): Only what is done: the record, saved.
  • Next (planned): The review date.
  • Did it come? In the log: - Did it come: yes, no or not marked.