Why is it that in all aspects of life, given the exact same environmental conditions, you can have two entities whose outcome will be completely different - one a success and one mired in mediocrity? These same entities can have the same barriers to success and the same market conditions, yet one entity will flourish and the other will flounder.

These entities can be individuals taking a class in school, a small business such as a dental office, or a large conglomerate like a computer company. Success versus stagnation in life events can often be traced back to one or two distinct points where the decisions made had a profound impact. These decisions, while seemingly minor, have a ripple effect, impacting everything else down the road.

Let's take the example of two college students taking a chemistry class. The barriers to success are the same for both - they both have to study to do well. They have the same market conditions - i.e., both are in a college class surrounded with the resources and temptations of college life. At the end of the semester, one student gets an A while the other gets a C.

What is the difference? Simply that the A student decided that joining the study club early in school was more important than joining the fraternity. That one decision has a profound impact on the lives of these two students. While the study club meets and reviews the weekly homework and notes from class, the fraternity meets for beer and socializing. Studying results in an A; partying results in a C.

Often in life one simple decision can have a substantial impact on our future. Be wise and deliberate in everything that you do, no matter how trivial you may think that decision is.