WHAT IF I CHOOSE WRONG? The Only Bad Decision Is Indecision
What if I choose wrong? Ugh…indecision.
Here’s the thing. Indecision is a decision. And the decision to do nothing creates inaction. Action is often the difference between success and failure. According to a recent study published in Harvard Business Review, one of the four things that set successful CEOs apart is the ability to make decisions with speed and conviction.
Too often, leaders delay decisions or, worse, make none at all. If you’re one of these people, your inability to make decisions is costing you time, money and opportunity. It’s also why you feel overwhelmed all the time.
So, what should you do about it?
Just Decide
Whenever you catch yourself saying, "I'm not ready yet," find the element of the decision you are ready for. Do that piece. Taking action will give you valuable information on what works and what doesn’t. What is this teaching you about what you do want, don’t want, love, despise, desire? The only way the time, money and energy you put into something that isn’t quite right is wasted is if you choose not to see and build upon what you’ve gained along the way.
The key is to be decisive and learn from mistakes, rather than fearing mistakes to the point that you avoid decisions.
Break Big Decisions into Bite-Sized Pieces
To get out of the overwhelm, break it into daily chunks.
What is the end state? What do I have to do to get there? What is one thing can I do today? If you plan to run a marathon, you’re likely not going to run the whole race tomorrow. But what you can do today is source a running program, look for a race, buy new shoes. These small wins will move us forward and before we know it, we get to where we want to be!
Give Yourself a Deadline
Let’s go back to breaking this into chunks. Obviously, you may not have a deadline for a decision if you are still in the research stage, but you can give yourself a deadline for the small wins along the way. Find an accountability partner and get into action. Its action that creates momentum and motivation; not necessarily the other way around.
Push Through Fear; it's Just a Part of the Process
Fear is a normal part of doing something bold. You'll feel fear when you make a career change, try something new or shift direction. You can waste time overthinking what-ifs, asking people their opinions and caring way too much about what others say. This won’t help you. You’ll end up playing it safe, always expecting a worse-case scenario, and be paralyzed by fear.
Here is a simple process to face fear and start taking action.
Assess what's really scaring you. And I mean getting to the root of your fear.
Ask yourself what the worst-case scenario is. List them all; its best to deal with these inflated fears and bring them into the light.
Now ask yourself, what is the likelihood this will actually take place? Often our minds will take us to the worst-case scenario when in actuality it's unlikely.
Once you've looked at the likelihood, what steps could you take to mitigate these? What plan do you have in place?
Now, ask yourself, what would life look like if the best-case scenario were to happen?
Stop waiting. Start acting. Now.
Here’s the thing, decision making isn’t always easy. And it can feel even scarier when the decision that’s sitting on the table is a big one. But I also want to remind you the what-ifs and regrets can feel even more painful. Trying and learning teaches you; sitting on the sidelines, paralyzed with indecision doesn’t teach you anything. It just costs you time and gives nothing in return.
Ready to make a big decision?