How To Make A Decision When You Are To Scared Too!
I’m not sure why so many of us avoid making decisions. Is it the fear of missing out, the unknown or the repercussions that we envision happening from each scenario?
Over the years I have sat at restaurants fretting over what to order, trying to figure out what sounds the most delicious, and agonizing about the possibilities if I pick one, what if the other one that I was also thinking of was good, or even worse ends up being better or someone else gets to eat it and I am stuck with the one I pick and its nowhere near as good.
What about finally deciding to cancel an event even though you have worked a solid six months on it, invested money, stopped doing all the other things that bring in money to focus on it yet it’s not exactly how you had planned out.
Then there are the moments where all your friends are lined up ready to jump into the river, your still wondering if this is going to be a good idea or not and could your body actually jump. Time slows down almost in slow-mo as you watch your mates one by one jump into the water with a small squeal of excitement. Ahhhhh, Im not sure about this and instead you just back away not making a call, letting your mind take control of you instead.
Throughout life, we have many obstacles to face and overcome. It’s apart of our unique journey, and even though we hit those bumps each one of them has a small lesson to unlock. These lessons are what make us stronger and wiser.
Yet decision making does come with a little practice.
How to make a decision like a pro
EXPLORE YOUR POSSIBILITIES
Look at your Yes and No scenarios for your decision and then look further into what the possibilities could be if you took either action. Are you still stuck in your 9-5 job by staying OR do you invest in yourself and enroll in a course that helps you start your next chapter? What does each scenario look like, three months from now if you took either of those options today? It’s good to make decisions from a place where you can see the bigger picture.
SET A TIMEFRAME
Making any big decision shouldn’t come lightly and I am not one to rush a decision however there is also the problem of taking too long and agonizing over the problem and what to do. I find that the longer you leave a decision to be made, the harder it becomes. Anxiety and self-doubt reeps in when you start stressing about the outcome of your decision. The best thing you can do is give yourself a timeframe to work with so you can keep moving forward. By setting a date or time in which you need to make your decision by and then to execute it will help you to bring it to life. This is because you have made it a priority in your life and will now be working on it consciously and unconsciously.
VISUALISE TAKING ACTION
Often the crunch of making a decision is carrying through with it. Do you need to tell your boss that you are giving them 2 weeks notice, is it time to take a break from that friend who eats up all of your time or start the gym? Once you decide what it is you need to do you can visualize the scenario playing out of how you take action, what you might need to say, you can practice the moment over in your mind so when it comes time to do it, it all feels familiar and some of the fear is removed of putting yourself out there.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Having someone to hold you accountable through a transition of change is a great asset to support you. Big decisions with bold actions need all the momentum they can get, if you have people in your corner to assist you it will only make the execution easier. Humans love to feel safe and supported we are creatures who thrive on community. So share your latest indecision with someone who can hold you on your word.
These are just a few ways that can support you to take action on making decisions. I hope you find them helpful, I would love to hear if you have any other methods that you may use to add them to the list.
