Today, I want to talk about a fundamental aspect of life and decision-making: the importance of making the right call. Every day, we face choices that can really affect not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us. And as much as we all like to think we have the right answers, making a bad call—whether through projection, prediction, or assumption—can have consequences far greater than we often realize.
Think about a quarterback in a football game. The success of the play depends on the quarterback making a split-second decision: do they pass the ball, run, or throw it away? If they misjudge the defense, if they don’t see the full field, the play is ruined. It might be just one moment, but that misstep could cost the game. This is the weight of making the right callin life.
But how often do we make decisions based on feelings, old information or incorrect information, or even worse, on seeing just one side? Sometimes we make a call, not because we see the whole picture, but because we believe what we see or hear is the full view. We project our own thoughts, feelings, and assumptions onto situations, thinking we know what’s best, when in reality, we’re only seeing a slice of the truth and the canvas of life is actually neutral, we are painting the picture.
You’re walking through a forest and see a small patch of dirt with a trail leading into the trees. From where you stand, it looks like an old, abandoned trail. You assume no one has used it in years, so you choose to ignore it. But had you walked just a few feet further, you would have seen a beautiful view—an opening in the trees, a clearing, a shortcut that could have saved you hours of walking. But you didn’t. You made a bad call based on the limited view you had at the time. You didn’t have the full picture. You made a bad projection.
In life, this happens all too often. We make judgments based on incomplete information, thinking we’re right, but in reality, we are missing key details that could change everything. And, unfortunately, the consequences of bad predictions or incorrect calls can be far-reaching.
Take the example of a pilot flying a plane. If the pilot is flying based on a faulty navigation system or outdated weather data, they might make decisions that seem logical at the time—only to end up off course, or worse, in danger. The plane’s course, like our lives, is guided by the decisions we make, and those decisions rely heavily on accurate information. When we fail to troubleshoot, when we don’t take the time to verify the data, the result can be disastrous.
Similarly, consider a chess game. You might be in the middle of a match, and you believe you have your opponent’s next move figured out—you assume they’ll make a certain play. But without fully considering all the possibilities, without seeing the whole board, you rush into your next move, only to realize too late that your assumption was wrong. You’ve given up a piece. You’ve lost ground. You misread the board and misjudged the game. A bad call.
But the key to avoiding bad calls—and the key to growth—lies in perspective or in today’s time, bandwidth. Understanding that the way we see things is not always the whole picture is critical. Life is rarely black and white. What we think we know is often a mere slice of reality. To make the right call, we need to troubleshoot, gather all the facts, and take a step back to consider the bigger picture.
A friend, for example, might jump the gun, think she knows the solution, and make a snap decision. She doesn’t have all the facts, but she assumes she does, and the result? We all lose. We all end up off track because of a decision made too quickly, based on an incomplete view. It’s a mistake we all make at times, and it’s important to acknowledge that when we make bad projections based on lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6), we don’t just hurt ourselves—we hurt those around us too.
This brings me to the importance of patience and discernment. Like a detective piecing together clues, we need to take the time to understand the situation fully before acting. Rushing into decisions without clarity can lead to mistakes.
Consider a carpenter building a house. If they only take measurements from one angle, assuming they’re accurate, they might start building a structure that is uneven, unsound, and, ultimately, unsafe. But when they measure twice, cut once, when they check their work from all angles, they create something sturdy and reliable. This is the essence of making the right call in life—measuring twice, considering all the factors, and making a decision based on the full picture, not just the part that’s immediately in front of you.
The truth is, in a world full of distractions, emotions, and assumptions, we all tend to make snap judgments, to assume we know what’s going to happen, to think we have it all figured out. But the wisdom in life often lies in the space between those reactions—the moment where we pause, breathe, and reflect. The right call comes from a place of clarity, not being quick witted.
To help keep ourselves from making bad calls, we must remember that our reactions are not the truth. They are simply our interpretation of events. Our emotions might cloud our judgment, and the partial views we have might trick us into thinking we know everything… Life in the Magic City, smh. But if we allow ourselves to step back, to troubleshoot and look at the bigger picture, we will be better equipped to make decisions that serve us and those around us.
So, my encouragement to you today is this: When faced with a choice—whether in business, relationships, or any other area of life—take a step back. Get the full view. Troubleshoot the situation. Don’t let your emotions dictate your decisions. Avoid making bad calls based on incomplete information. Trust that making the right call requires clarity, patience, and a willingness to understand the whole picture. When you do, you’ll find your decisions lead to better outcomes, fewer regrets, and a more peaceful, fulfilling life.
