How to make decisions
I’ve noticed lately that a LOT of people get stuck in indecision.
Sometimes it lasts just a few hours.
But sometimes it’s days, weeks, even years. (Full disclosure: It took me years to finally change careers, so no judgement here! 😂).
When you’re in indecision, your mind goes over the same thing again and again and again.
You waste an incredible amount of mental energy and time – two of your most valuable resources!
On the other hand, when you can make a decision efficiently (and with conviction) you not only save your precious resources, but you move forward with your life. This is where growth happens and where dreams coalesce.
Learning to make decisions with efficiency and confidence is a vital skill to living a full life.
How to make a decision
(the quick n dirty version)
There are two parts to making a decision:
- Making the decision
- Staying committed to your decision
Step 1: Making the decision
Why is it so hard to decide?
{Your answer here.}
My answer: it’s scary.
What if you make the wrong decision….?
Then what?
Well, what if…
There is no wrong decision.
What if ANY decision you make can be a “good” one?
ALL decisions lead to new experiences and new information that help you learn what works and what doesn’t work. Even if you fail, you learn along the way.
The point is not to avoid pain and disappointment, but to accept it as part of life. And to know that you are capable of dealing with whatever comes your way.
A decision isn’t “right” or “wrong” because of the outcome. It’s your opinion of a decision that makes it “right” or “wrong”.
This looks like choosing to think:
- “I’m prepared enough and have made the best decision I can in this moment.”
- “I’ve made this decision and I know that no matter what, I will grow from the outcome.”
- “I’m ready to move forward.”
- “There is no perfect decision.”
Also, please, please be sure to always like your reasons for your decision.
Check that your decision comes from a place of love, self-respect and optimism. Don’t let fear, scarcity, people pleasing or self-doubt be in command of your decision making (or your life).
Step 2: Staying committed to your decision
Once you’ve made your decision, your brain will start finding all sorts of ways to keep you from following-through.
Your mind will bring up self-doubt:
- “can I really do this?”
- “will I really have enough time?”
- “will I really be able to afford it?”
Your mind will find ways to make you feel uncomfortable:
- “but I don’t feel like it right now”
- “I’m not feeling good enough to do this”
- “I thought this was supposed to be easy, it must not be meant to be”.
Your life will find ways to derail you:
- “my family member needs me”
- “my car decided to break down”
- “didn’t you know? There’s a pandemic happening. All progress must stop!”
The key with commitment is to keep coming back to your belief in yourself.
Even if you don’t have proof that you can do it, you get to choose to believe that you can!
You get to choose to believe that you are still committed.
And you get to do this again and again and again.
Choose commitment every day, all day.
Have an amazing week of making decisions,
Heidi
P.S. The topic of decision making can bring up all kinds of interesting things – self-doubt, people pleasing, self-sabotage. Life coaching can help you address these kinds of blocks and learn to make decisions, so that you can step into greater empowerment and authenticity in your life. I love doing this kind of work with my clients. Experience what this is like in a free consult.
