They say life isn’t about the things that happen to you, but about the decisions you make. There’s a ton of coverage about the best decisions people have made, but not nearly enough conversation about the tough decisions. We asked folks we admire to tell us about the most difficult decision they’ve ever had to make and have shared some of those responses below.

Tim Harrison | Leadership Coach | CEO of the Enjoyable Pain of Growth Academy | Spoken Word Artist

After graduating from Rice University, I had a job lined up at a top consulting firm. I had been a student-athlete on the university’s Basketball team and studied Psychology so to land a coveted business-oriented position felt like a major accomplishment. Read more>>

lissa Moyse | Entrepreneur & GIA Graduate Gemologist

Leaving my father’s business (Almaza Jewelers) to focus solely on my business. He has been in business over 54 years and has built a wonderful name for himself and a loyal following. I was not easy to walk away from that. Read More>>

Emily Sinh | Micro-Influencer

Growing up in a first-generation Asian American household, I’ve always found myself internally struggling to pursue my dreams or follow my parent’s wishes. Unfortunately being the eldest I felt that I had the responsibility to take care of and provide for my family. As much as I wanted to pursue a career in arts or photography that wasn’t much of an option as they had instilled in me the value and sacrifices they had made to give their children a better opportunity in the states. I also did not want to disappoint my parents. Read more>>

Whitney Schlander | artist & mother

In regards to my work, the hardest decision was to stop working when my youngest daughter’s medical needs outweighed my ability to continue working. And yet, it was a choiceless choice, because she needed me more than anything. With each one of my children, it has revealed a deeper layer within, but my daughter was the deepest undoing in trusting the timing of my artistic life. One of the most difficult decisions I make daily is to believe that the work i am doing matters for myself and others, for the greater whole. Read more>>