Not saying you made the wrong choice, but I would have never taken the counter offer, and really to be in a dictating position, I would have had the job offer r

Not saying you made the wrong choice, but I would have never taken the counter offer, and really to be in a dictating position, I would have had the job offer ready before any talk that would result in not getting what I want. If a company needs an incentive to keep you, chances are they might revisit their incentives when you least expect it and let you go at a later date.