Why Can’t You Just Decide?
One of the biggest problems that the latest generation is currently facing is the fact that almost all of you are indecisive and incapable of independent thought. Sometimes it is fine to think things through but make no mistake this is a weakness, a fault and is more detrimental to your life than you could ever imagine.
In all honesty, you are one confused group that has everything at your fingertips and easier than every generation before you. Granted most of you were told that getting good grades and a solid college education was more or less a guarantee to a successful and full life. What a load of crap right? So it is no wonder you all are unsure of where your life is headed and what to do next.
Indecision is killing your hopes and your dreams people and it is only going to get worse if you don’t start learning how to make decisions on your own. The fact of the matter is when faced with having to choose between two or more different options we can’t see into the future and we don’t know what the ramifications are of choosing A over B or C. That’s life and we just have to suck it up and deal with it. You don’t know the outcome of any decision until you have made that decision and sometimes the outcome of your decision is not revealed until later on in life. Sometimes we delay deciding because we think we need to make the perfect or right decision but the reality is there are no perfect decisions. You can look at it as you may have a 50/50 chance of making the right decision but if you don’t make a decision you chances aren’t 50/50 but rather zero all the way across. Not making a decision is still a decision as well and one that is often overlooked. Like the lyrics from the band Rush’s song Freewill state “If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.”
We live in one of the greatest times ever with so much information and technology at our fingertips. We don’t even have to type a question anymore we can simply ask Siri or our Google Assistant. The problem is we get overloaded with even more contradictory and we are right back to where we were at the beginning.
While we can’t control the outcome of the decisions we make one of my favorite hacks is to create more opportunities for decision. By simply having more opportunities to make decisions we can make better decisions. Simply starting more conversations with people you know or don’t know may lead you to a solution to a renovation problem you are having. Calling an impromptu meeting at work may result in a partnership that was unexpected moments before. Spending too much time worrying if you are making the right decision generally leads to a lack of success and or happiness.
Now, this doesn’t mean you don’t give any decision a second thought. It means you spend some time understanding why whether something will work or not and you become good at what you do without overthinking every freaking move. All of us are trying to make better decisions than the next person so we can make more money or to save more money. Wrong decisions, providing they are not made with a lack of morals and values, can generally be repaired and you need to look at them as learning opportunities.
What we fear the most though is what other people will think of us if we make a bad decision. I am not sure when it was we started giving people around us so much power to influence our ability to make decisions or to affect how we feel about ourselves but what you need to remember is your decisions are your decisions and those people that you are worried about judging you are making just as many wrong decision. It’s pretty pathetic that we let peer pressure and conformity shape our lives. Instead, we should create our own paths and do what feels right in our guts and our hearts. Once you realize this and stop putting so much weight on other people’s opinions of your decisions then you find yourself making faster decisions. Less time worrying if you’re making the right decision means more time to capitalize on your decision.
Sometimes we need to balance out our decision making with a change in attitude and mindset. To help you make faster decisions there are some simple hacks you can use to cut down on the amount of time you spend procrastinating and over-thinking.
The 60-second rule
I use the 60-second rule to force myself into a deadline. Any time I have a decision to make I set the timer on my phone and quickly assess the pros and cons. The great thing about this rule is it doesn’t have to be 60 seconds. You can change to several minutes if you like but once you get passed 5 minutes you are defeating the purpose.
Right here right now
Often we are so focused on making the right decision for the future we often fail to see how the decision will affect us in the present. Looking at the big picture is fine but can be mentally draining as we try and envision every step along the way. Instead, make a decision based on what will make the next step easier. This is great for chronic over thinkers and those that spend too much time analyzing every step.
Learning from mistakes
The reality is there are no bad decisions but rather learning opportunities. Bad decisions can be repaired and we will make smarter decisions based on the knowledge we have gained. Remember a fear of failure generally means that someone else will decide for you. Wouldn’t you want that control even if it turns out to be a learning lesson?
We know making no mistake is not the right decision either and is often worse than choosing A or B. When we struggle with making decisions, even small ones, we run the risk of letting our lives running us instead of us running our lives. Our independence and sovereignty is compromised and we end up having little or no control over our lives. Decide the life you want to have and don’t let your life decide for you.
