Consider for a second how many decisions we make each day. What time will we wake up, what will eat for breakfast? Will we take the freeway to work or side streets. Our present life is a result of our past decisions. Our current choices determine our future. Some options you make are minor and have little significance in the direction of your life; others can either derail or drastically advance your life.
Making the right decision is essential. Often we have an idea of what we want to do. But disentangling the choices that will navigate us to our end goal can become incredibly difficult.
Everyone has been a situation where they were faced with making a difficult decision. You become overwhelmed with anxiety and uncertainty. What if I don’t make the right decision? This act of self-sabotage has you spinning in a circle until, finally, you come to a solution. But was it the right one?
Here are some steps to help eliminate uncertainty behind a critical decision and better help you come to a solution.
First, ask yourself the timeline of this decision. For example, say an opportunity of a lifetime just presented itself to you. But there are potential detrimental stipulations to consider. Do you take all but 20 minutes to conclude a decision? Probably not. Decisions like these take, careful analysis and consideration to weigh all the risks and benefits.
So if you find yourself worked up over your inability to decide only after a short amount of time, ease up on your self. Focus on the process and not the timeframe. Stressing about the time clouds your judgment and will distract you from the issue at hand.
Next, consider your current position and where you aspire to be longterm. Its important first to define your value to determine your long term goals. Does this decision fit into your goals? If not, stop here. If the answer is yes, continue to weigh the risks and benefits of making said decision. For this, you don’t need all the nitty-gritty details. Often our intuition is enough to guide us towards the right choice. But your intuition can only hold so much power when you don’t have a clear idea of where you are going.
Lastly, calculate the risk of your decision. Is there an actual risk, or is your uncertainty fueled from fear? We often experience anxiety and discomfort right before a breakthrough. It’s at these times are trust is truly challenged. Trust in the unknown; most importantly, being content that everything will happen as it should. Don’t allow fear to keep you from making an important decision. If you keep pushing it aside, the opportunity may not present itself in the future. Again, tap into your intuition; this is the most powerful inherant tool for decision making.
Its failure that makes us stronger that shapes us. So know yourself, know where you are going, and position your decisions accordingly.
Trusting in the process is one of the main foundations of mindfulness. Check out my post on mindfulness and how it can aid in decision making here.
Personal & Professional Development 