Last week, Canada and the United States celebrated their independence. Soon, the French will celebrate Bastille Day. Is there anything to be learned (not just celebrated) from the French and American revolutions or Canada’s move to independence without war that we can apply in our individual lives today?

I found something incredibly important this year that can change your life, just like the French and American Revolutions changed history.

I have always loved the fireworks, barbecues, and gatherings of family and friends on the 4th of July. If I am honest, I have spent very little time thinking about American history since leaving high school (Independence Day being one of the few reminders of my privileges of wise people from times past). So I was surprised on July 4th when I picked up my copy of Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich only to be reading a passage about the founding of the United States. If I had remembered this passage was in the book from prior readings, I still would not have been able to find it easily. Yet, here on Independence Day this was the spot in the book I was at.

Hill points out the the real point in history to celebrate was not the winning of the war, or even the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776. He points out the many prior decisions that allowed independence to be won. The keys Hill claims are moments that go unnoticed. Each small, seemingly insignificant decision leading up to July 4th were the real factors in winning independence — like Henry Lee, Samuel Adams and John Hancock starting a Correspondence Committee with the other colonies. Does anyone remember that?

It is our DECISIONS, not the actions that follow them, that determine our fate.

Every time I make a decision in my own life, I know things start to move much more quickly, and the actions I need to take seem easier. But in those times when I vacillate and wait, it only gets harder and harder to act. Do you find that true, too?

By nature, I don’t like to be wrong — no one does, but I take failure as an indicator of my worth. So making decisions has been something I have had to struggle with and grow in my capacity to do; not something that came easy. Ironically, I can make business decisions easy because I feel confident in that arena; but personal decisions affect my relationships, which I have always held sacred and unconsciously feared losing.

Take a moment to reflect on your own decision making muscle — how strong or weak is it? Are you better at making some decisions than others? Are there recurring issues in your life you have been unable to take action on?

Taking this back to Independence Day, you can see that NOTHING important can happen without a decision. If your life feels somewhat numb, or your dreams remain wishes year after year — I suggest you determine if it is your lack of making a decision that is the true culprit, not circumstances, holding you back.

Making decisions can be the scariest thing we do. What if something goes wrong? What if it doesn’t go the way I hope? What if others don’t like my decision? What if I make the wrong choice and miss out on something wonderful? What if…

Decisions can be the scariest thing we do — until we make the decision. Then, decisions become the most liberating thing we can do.

Each decision frees us to start taking action on a determined path, rather than remaining dis-empowered and waiting for something outside to happen. Decisions start to open doors and serendipitously bring people and events into our life to make things happen; but only after we decide.

Is there a decision you have been avoiding? Maybe this July as multiple countries of people are celebrating freedom it is time to use that energy to support you making a decision and experiencing the freedom that comes from definite decisions.