5 Steps For Being More Decisive In Life

Decisions can alter the course of your life, and this generates fear. The lack of certainty that lies behind each decision is precisely what makes many of us indecisive, as every choice feels like a risk that is far too unsafe to pursue for there is no guarantee where it will eventually lead to.

However, we must not forget that with every decision you are making a statement and projecting commitment and confidence. This is a trait of a mind molded to take upon any challenge without getting caught up on how things will end; instead, it focuses on how things will proceed.

Convert your fear of uncertainty into the curiosity of what may lie beyond the initial steps of every stage in life.

1. Acknowledge that not deciding is a decision.

Indecision does not eliminate the need for a decision to be made. The decision to not decide can stem from several reasons, from the fear of making an incorrect choice to the fear of what happens when you do make a choice. Lingering between whether to stay put or muster up the courage to move is the difference between having the confidence needed for success and being too afraid of the unseen future.

Remember, making a choice is better than doing nothing at all.

2. Overcome your fears.

Fear is generated from our own imagination. Within it lies the power to paralyze us at crucial points in life where deciding is vital. This terror can be destructive as it will envelop you into a deadly pattern of associating negativity with any form of decision-making. Hence you must train your mind to be open to change and to acknowledge that decision-making is a vigorous part of taking back control of your life.

3. Visualize the possible outcomes without overanalyzing.

Frequently, overanalyzing comes from the fact that perhaps you do not have enough information. This often means that your mind runs wild with several possible outcomes, many of which may even be irrelevant. However, the anxiety that is then conceived from this ignorance is what prevents you from making a decision altogether.

Confidence is key. Never be shy to reach out to people who have accomplished what you are wanting to pursue and ask them questions. This will enable you to visualize the path that you must embark on and allow you to weigh out all the positive, negative, and neutral outcomes without overthinking which will ultimately program your mind to make choices that will conclusively shape your future.

4. Pursue growth, not perfection.

To succeed, you must not only master the skill of decision making but also learn to steer away from the pursuit of perfection.

Keep in mind, the future is uncertain to us all, so not being 100% sure about the final outcome of your decision is entirely normal. It is therefore up to us to realize that the pressure of reaching perfection will in no way guide us to make more informed decisions. Instead, it will put us into a state of mental paralysis again whereby we are too fearful to make a choice of any kind. Thus, it is essential to accept that many decisions are about taking risks — some will pay off whilst others will not and those that fail are not stamps of failure but opportunities to discover and flourish.

5. Set your goals.

Identifying your concerns and building strategies to overcome them to become the most decisive version of yourself is the start. Now it is time for you to reflect on your life and decide what it is that you want to accomplish, plan and move forward, set yourself up for success by making that first move by not allowing your worries to hold you back any longer.

Remember, a decision is a mental statement that needs to be followed by action. You must commit and stay persistent in what you decide. With that said, do bear in mind that while several decisions cannot be mended, there are numerous decisions that can be reworked upon if you feel the need to do so.

For as long as you stay dedicated to the process of making and implementing a decision, you will stay in control of your life.