Radical Acceptance in Decision Making

“Practice Radical Acceptance Accepting your own imperfections is the gateway to an even more daring mindset: accepting the world as it is, not as you wish it would be. This is another fruit of my adventures in cognitive behavior therapy. About 20 years ago, my wife and I went to some workshops on mindfulness led by Marsha Linehan, whose techniques incorporate a core principle she calls radical acceptance. This boils down to being fully present in the moment and accepting reality. It requires that you let go of the illusion of control by acknowledging the facts as they are, even though you may want them to be different.”

“Radical acceptance quiets the noise created by yesterday’s decisions and today’s wishful thinking. It allows you to make a logical, forward-looking decision based on what’s likely to happen next—that and risk management are the big, relevant considerations. Otherwise, you’re just gambling, and most gamblers lose.”