We each negotiate our way through life’s challenges, such as with this pandemic, with how we feel (instinct) and with what we know (science) to be true. We try to negotiate our way by making reasoned choices in balance of instinct and science that are a fit for us and those we most closely relate with.

Some people seem to others to remain largely unreasoned in their instinctual choices, accepting nearly all risks. Others, conversely reason their choices to accept little to no risk at all. Both are somehow negotiating in their minds the reasoned choices driven by some combination of instinct and science.

Instinct is negotiable, insights and feelings change.

Science isn’t negotiable, it just is what it is.

In balance, how are you negotiating this challenging path of reasoned choices? Is this how you always negotiate amid a challenge? What purposeful lesson might you learn from this to advance yourself with others?

Stop for a moment to know yourself from the decisions made in your lived experiences to continuously learn. How much will you rely upon the reality of science going forward with other presenting challenges?

“The real negotiation is between humans on the one hand and chemistry and physics on the other. And chemistry and physics, unfortunately, don’t bargain.” — Bill McKibben —     

MITM