When Following Orders Becomes a Habit

So many components of the military involve simply taking orders. The leader says, “Go left.” You go left. Your commander says, “Stop.” You stop. Simple. So long as the instructions are legal, moral, and ethical, we follow orders and we generally execute them quite well.

The unfortunate byproduct of being an above-average follower is that our ability to make sound choices can degrade, especially as it pertains to ourselves. When a leader asks, “Do you want the broadening assignment or the technical one?” your eyes widen as analysis paralysis begins to kick in. The inability to analyze options and objectively see the benefits and risks of those choices is a skill that more military members need to build throughout their careers.

Critical thinking is required. We have to move beyond simply asking, “What am I supposed to do?” and start asking, “What does this choice mean?” Every decision has consequences, and understanding the second- and third-order effects matters. A career choice can affect your family. A decision to take on an additional duty can affect your ability to be present at home. Choosing one assignment over another can shape the opportunities available to you five years from now. The decision in front of you may feel small, but its ripple effects may not be.

This is where military members sometimes need to shift their mindset. We are accustomed to leaders providing direction, and there is value in that. Clear direction allows organizations to move quickly and accomplish difficult things. But your military career is still your career. Your commander may offer you an assignment, your supervisor may recommend a path, and your mentors may tell you what they think you should do. All of that information is valuable, but none of them have to live with the consequences of the decision in the same way you do.

That means you have to learn how to make choices intentionally. Gather information. Identify what matters to you. Consider the benefits, risks, and tradeoffs. Think beyond what is easiest right now and consider what the decision creates—or eliminates—down the road. Most importantly, resist the temptation to outsource the decision simply because someone else is willing to make it for you.

I often see young military members ushered into a remarkably seamless life. They are assigned a barracks or dorm room. They are fed three meals a day. A few dollars are automatically deposited into a retirement account. When they get injured, they simply take their military ID card to the military treatment facility rather than worrying about finding a doctor, navigating insurance, or figuring out how to pay the bill. Many of the fundamental pieces of life are arranged for them, often without much discussion or decision-making on their part.

There is tremendous value in that support. But there is also an unintended consequence: it can train members to let the system run their lives.

Then, one day, they leave the military.

Suddenly, no one is assigning their housing. No one is automatically putting money into their retirement account. There is no dining facility serving three meals a day, no supervisor checking to make sure they have completed their annual medical requirements, and no institution telling them what comes next. The choices that once seemed limited are suddenly almost endless, and that can be overwhelming.

The reality is that we have more choices than we realize, even while we are serving. We have choices about where we live, how we spend our money, what we prioritize, what opportunities we pursue, and what kind of life we are building alongside our military career. Military members need to be taught not only how to follow the system, but how to recognize the choices within it.

Because eventually, the system stops making those choices for you. And you need to know how to make them for yourself. Choice is powerful, and it must not be wasted. Relinquishing it to others is a precarious position if you’re to live your best life…not someone else’s.