Everyone makes decisions based on their life’s experiences. As such, they may not always see the blindspots that could cause them trouble when they’re trying to make good decisions for their lives. If you find yourself in this boat, you’re not doomed to make less-than-stellar decisions for the rest of your life. You just need to revamp your thinking until you can make decisions from a place of power. Here are four ways to do that.
Several years ago, a book called The One Thing came out. In it, author Gary Keller told people to focus on one thing. If people picked the correct thing, then most other things in their lives would become easier to do or completely unnecessary. Identifying the one thing in your life will allow you to look at each decision you make through an effective filter. That is you’ll determine whether or not the decision you’re about to make will lead you closer to your goals or take you farther away from them. If the result of your decision doesn’t ultimately contribute to what you want out of life, then it’s best to go another route.
It is possible to overthink a problem. You know that you’ve thought too much about the pros and cons of a decision if you suddenly find yourself paralyzed and unable to make any decision. When this happens, it’s best to let the decision go for a time and to go out and do something that gets your mind off it. When you take the time to go to coffee with friends or blow off some steam with your local baseball team, you give your subconscious mind time to percolate - stress free - on it. People who take this approach often find that the right solution just bubbles up in their consciousness when they’re least expecting it.
It’s possible to be too close to an important decision, which can cloud your judgment. That’s when it’s helpful to seek out a different perspective on the issue. For some people, this means visiting with a valued friend or family member about it. For others, it means doing some research in the library, and some people even go with some more unconventional means, like tarot card readings. The important thing in all of these types of input is that they force you to take a higher, more detached perspective on the problem. This encourages you to think outside the box and to possibly think of the decision in a different way.
Part of the issue that people have when they have to make a decision is that they feel like they have to choose between two options they don’t always like. However, those who are successful at making decisions are also successful at coming up with a number of alternatives, a few of which could be more beneficial than just the original two they originally gravitated toward. If you feel stuck in the decision process, ask yourself if you’ve really thought about all of the alternatives available to you and not just the most obvious ones.
If you’re like many people, you worry about the decisions you make because you know that the wrong decision comes with some pretty bad consequences. As such, you might put off making decisions when you need to. However, this isn’t the most empowering way to go. Instead, you need to take some perspective and look at the decision-making process a different way. Once you can do that, you’re in a better position to make a decision you can live with.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.