The Three Rs
There are many aspects of our shared culture and vernacular that baffle me. Somehow through several generations in our society, reading, writing, and arithmetic came to be known as The Three Rs within the educational process. Anyone with the most cursory exposure to a basic education would readily understand that what we call The Three Rs, is actually an R with a W and an A. This would seem ironic if we were talking about the three Rs of brick laying, lawn mowing, or basket weaving, but in a discussion of education, it seems bizarre and bewildering.
The purpose of a great education is to teach us how to think and process information. The purpose of learning to think and process is to make good choices in our personal and professional lives. Nothing separates successful outcomes from unsuccessful outcomes more than the choices we make. You can be brilliant, wealthy, highly educated, and well-connected, but if you make poor choices, you are doomed to fail. On the other hand, you may come from an economically and socially disadvantaged background—having enjoyed limited educational experiences or social networking opportunities—but if you consistently make good choices, your odds of succeeding are very good. Unlike in education, within the realm of making choices, there truly are three Rs.
The first R in the realm of making choices is the concept of rights. This means we must understand and accept the fact that we have the right to choose. Someone who doesn’t understand they have the right to choose or someone who is not willing to exercise their right to choose, is no better off than someone who doesn’t have a choice. I realize there are people in dozens of countries around the world reading this column in various newspapers, magazines, or online publications. The political climate where you live may limit the choices you have, but even so, you must exercise every right you have to choose and choose wisely.
The second R relating to choices is responsibility. If we are going to choose our course, we have to be responsible for the outcome. The concept of becoming a victim diminishes greatly when you exercise your right to choose and accept the responsibility for the choices you make. It’s important to realize that not making a choice is inevitably a choice, and it’s invariably the wrong choice. If you have the right to vote but do not accept the responsibility to do so, you give up all of your power and give your right to choose to the portion of the electorate that was willing to accept the responsibility to make a choice and live with the consequences.
The final R, relating to choices, is results. Once you accept the right to choose and take responsibility for your choices, you must live with the results. There’s no one else to blame, but there’s also no one else you must share the credit with when you succeed. If your choice results in a bad outcome, you’re still better off than someone who didn’t choose because you can learn from the experience and choose to launch again toward your goal.
Life begins to feel more manageable and in control when we take a firm grasp of the steering wheel and accept the right to choose, the responsibility for our choices, and the results that come from our decisions.
As you go through your day today, be the master of your destiny and choose wisely.
Today’s the day!