Tomando las decisiones adecuadas en la vida | Héctor de Jesús García Escamilla | TEDxASUCQ

The Importance of Decisions

• Everyone has different answers to the question of the purpose of life, such as achieving objectives, having a fulfilling life with family and friends, or connecting with one's spiritual side, but most people want to live an extraordinary life that they can look back on with satisfaction when it ends (40s).
• Despite having clear ideas about what makes life fulfilling and happy, some people spend 80-90% of their lives in sadness, misery, and depression, and have more regrets than happy moments when they die (1m12s).
• Several factors define one's destiny, including talents, circumstances, and the effort one puts into their life, but the most important and transcendental factor is the decisions one makes in key moments (2m12s).
• Decisions such as who to marry, which career to pursue, whether to accept a job offer, or whether to move to another country can have a significant impact on one's life and can be seen in examples such as the friends of Mark Zuckerberg who declined his invitation to join Facebook (2m37s).
• Bad decisions can lead to a cycle of anxiety and poor decision-making, while good decisions can provide clarity, freedom, and a sense of accomplishment, making it easier to make better decisions in the future (4m26s).
• The importance of decisions can be seen in how they can affect one's life for 30-40 years, and how they can either lead to success or failure, as seen in the example of someone who decides to follow their passion and start their own business (3m32s).
• To make a more correct decision, it is essential to be cautious, as a bad decision can lead to a cycle of poor decisions, while a good decision can bring freedom, confidence, and inspiration for better future decisions, known as the Butterfly Effect (4m56s).
• The Butterfly Effect also implies that it is possible to change course and get out of a bad path, no matter how low one has fallen, but it can become increasingly complicated (5m3s).
• Five fundamental principles can help in making a good decision, which can define one's life for 30, 40, or 50 years (5m20s).

Principle 1: Don't Let Ego Win

• The first principle is not to let ego win, as it can be very dangerous and prevent one from seeing certain circumstances clearly (5m53s).
• Ego can lead to decisions based on fear and a desire to maintain one's status or position, rather than making a good decision, and can cause one to minimize or discard good ideas from others (6m37s).
• Examples of ego-driven decisions include a team leader minimizing a team member's great idea to avoid being overshadowed, a football player blaming someone else for a missed goal, and a person in a relationship trying to control their partner out of fear of losing them (6m49s).
• In contrast, not letting ego win can lead to decisions that create synergy and success, such as a team leader promoting a team member's great idea, a football player taking responsibility for a missed goal and training harder, and a person in a relationship enjoying the time with their partner without fear of losing them (8m31s).

The Power of Compassion and Empathy

• Everyone has the potential to be an extraordinary person, and having creative energy is what enables individuals to make correct decisions (8m52s).
• To be a good leader, one must be able to put themselves in others' shoes and be compassionate, considering the feelings of others without expecting anything in return (9m10s).
• Being a leader means that everyone will look up to you, and when you show empathy and compassion, people will be more likely to follow you and be happy to do so (9m31s).
• Having a team where everyone feels heard and appreciated is crucial, as it makes the team function better and makes people more willing to follow a leader (10m2s).

Mental Agility and Resilience

• To make good decisions, one must be mentally agile, and two habits that can help achieve this are meditation and exercise, which can transform one's life (10m40s).
• Meditation can help individuals make better decisions even in moments of high tension and stress, as it trains the mind to be calm and tranquil (10m55s).
• Resilience is essential, as everyone will go through difficult moments in life, and knowing that one can overcome these challenges with the help of others can give them the strength to keep going (11m18s).
• Having a support system and knowing that there are people who will always be there to help can give individuals the impetus to keep fighting and moving forward (12m22s).
• The importance of seeking help and support during difficult times is highlighted, as it can make a significant difference in one's life and help them develop and grow as a person (12m41s).

Embracing Failure and Resilience

• After training for over a year, the first international math competition did not go well, resulting in a last-place finish with zero points, despite five years of improving habits and thinking everything was fine (13m36s).
• Even with a lot of effort, energy, and inspiration, it's possible to fail, as seen in the example of Elon Musk's first three SpaceX launches, which were failures, costing $100 million (14m16s).
• Failure is not definitive, and it's possible to fail greatly in a goal, but that doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence, as seen in the example of being a three-time world university math champion, municipal youth award winner, and 10-time world award winner, even after failing (15m6s).
• There will always be an opportunity for a comeback, and resilience is key to having clarity in decision-making and knowing what one wants in life (15m26s).

Clarity and Projections

• The Clear, or clarity, is affected by negative and positive projections, which can cause problems for humans, and it's essential to consider both when making decisions (15m44s).
• Negative projection occurs when someone criticizes others for attributes they themselves possess but don't want to accept, and it's often seen in envy (16m25s).
• Positive projection happens when someone exaggerates the positive attributes of a job, boss, or situation due to fear of not having other options, and it's essential to consider this when making decisions (17m14s).
• In personal relationships, people often stay in toxic relationships due to fear of not having a better option, ignoring red flags because they internally believe they don't deserve better (17m36s).

Understanding the Shadow

• Clarity of vision is key to making better decisions, and understanding one's shadow is crucial to achieving this clarity (17m45s).
• The concept of "Shadow" was introduced by Carl Jung, referring to the negative attributes that everyone possesses, such as envy, desires for negative things, and other flaws that come with being human (18m6s).
• The best way to improve oneself is not to ignore these negative aspects but to acknowledge and accept them, allowing for personal growth and improvement (18m48s).
• Accepting one's negative thoughts and emotions can help convert them into positive forces, such as turning envy into inspiration, fear of failure into courage, and sadness into peace (19m30s).
• Doing "Shadow work" enables individuals to transform and redirect their negative energies into becoming a better version of themselves (20m14s).

Making Decisions with Clarity and Courage

• When faced with important decisions, it's essential to take a deep breath, connect one's mind with their heart, and remember that there's always an opportunity to move forward and change one's path, no matter how difficult the situation may seem (20m31s).