Decision making is either something you are great at or not. You either like doing it or you simply don't. There's no in between here. Some can make decisions quite confidently, others not so much. I'm a confident decision maker. I like to think things through and the task of making a decision is quite exciting for me.
And then there are the Librans but that's another blog. Are you a good decision maker or does the thought of having to make a decision about anything drive you batty? If you are the latter, here are a few simple tips that might help you get better at it.
1. Listen to your intuition.
First and foremost, what is your gut telling you. too many of us ignore that message, or warning, and then question why we didn't just go with our gut instinct in the first place. That feeling is undeniable. Listen to it, act on it.
2. Discuss your decision with someone.
Get a bit of feedback from someone you can trust and whose opinion you value. Sometimes all we need is one person to say yay or nay. Don't choose the person who will instantly talk you out of it, talk to the on e who will look at all points.
3. Look back on your past decisions.
Did you learn or take away anything from them? Was there a lesson to be learned? If you take a moment to look back on other decisions, chances are you will see how you came out ok after all and you stressed out for nothing.
4. Be prepared to roll with the changes.
If you can remind yourself that just because you made this decision it doesn't necessarily mean things will turn out as planned. Go ahead and make it anyway just be prepared for a plan b. This takes a little pressure off of you as well .
5. Make it fun.
You can make a game out of it or just smile when you think about it. If you are having a hard time choosing where to go on vacation for spring break imagine that the men (or women) are way hotter at this location than the other one. Have fun with it.
6. Weigh out the pros and cons if it's a big life changing decision.
All of them. Don't leave any out. Is this decision going to hurt or affect anyone negatively? Is it a good idea for you to be doing whatever it is you are thinking about doing? List everything and have a look. One side should definitely outweigh the other.
7. Listen to your self talk.
Don't beat yourself up and repeatedly tell yourself you don't know what you're doing. Instead tell yourself that no matter what the outcome, you did the best you could with what you had. Tell yourself that you did the best at making this decision and no matter what you are proud of yourself for doing so.
8. Just do it.
Whatever it is, once you have done the pros and cons and thought about it and beat it to death, just do it. If you have to take a big deep breath before you do, then do that and then leap. Say a little prayer if you have to but go ahead and make your decision and let it go.
9. Remember the good and the bad.
Not all decisions have good results. Like if you are trying to watch what you eat but make a decision to eat a big bag of Doritos and drink 2L of Pepsi. That's a bad decision. Make your decision wisely and remember the bad too.
10. Don't be too confident.
We can get a little carried away in this decision making confidence but be careful. Your ego may get in the way and prevent you from making a sound decision. Calm the mind, don't get too ballsy and keep yourself balanced.
Decision making doesn't have to be so stressful. Use some of these simple tips next time you are faced with a big decision and hopefully some of them might help you. Do you have a hard time making decisions? What techniques do you use to help you make one?