How to Get Over Being Indecisive Once and For All. Maybe.
by www.SixWise.com
Anyone who's ever been caught in the throes of indecision
--and who hasn't- knows that it can be downright maddening.
Thinking about what to do, whether the decision is big ...
Should we buy this house? ... or small ... Do I want
mashed potatoes or baked? ... can become borderline obsessive.
It consumes your thoughts until you choose one outcome over
the other, and even then may continue to harass you as you
worry whether you made the right choice.
Certainly, indecision is frustrating for the indecisive person.
But that's not all. Being indecisive also affects those around
you. Your coworkers, your spouse, your family and friends
are all influenced by your decision-making, or lack thereof.
Not sure what to decide? Try looking at the question
from a different perspective.
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What's Wrong With a Little Indecision?
Being unable to make a decision happens to the best of us.
But when being indecisive begins to become more of a regular
occurrence than a rare one, your relationships and career
may suffer.
"Indecision is a silent enemy that steals many opportunities,"
says Caterina Rando, MA, MCC, a success speaker and author
of the book "Learn
to Power Think."
That's because your wavering decision may be overcome by
someone else's quick thinking. Or, you may be so distracted
by the very thought of "What should I do?" that
you miss out on opportunities that come your way.
"You cannot decide what to say to an employee or co-worker
who has lost a relative, so you say nothing, loosing the opportunity
to provide support. You put off deciding if you can afford
to go to a conference, so you leave the information on your
desk; the next time you read the flyer, you learn that the
event has already passed. Your lack of decision-making caused
you to miss an opportunity to meet with your colleagues and
learn about your industry," Rando explains.
Why Are We Indecisive?
Though it may seem that some people can make a decision in
a snap with little or no quandary, many Americans view themselves
as indecisive. Most who belong to this category also wish
they could become "more decisive." Interestingly,
what's causing all of this indecision may actually have little
to do with us, but instead should be blamed on our ever-more-complicated
environment.
We are bombarded with decisions constantly, and most do not
have obvious outcomes. For instance, the decision of whether
or not to go indoors during a lightening storm is obvious.
The decisions of what flavor syrup to get in your coffee,
what size to order, what type of milk to use, whether to get
it iced or hot, with or without whipped cream, decaf or regular
is another story all together.
The bottom line is this: We make many decisions without even
thinking about them (turning on your car's blinker when you're
turning, for instance). But we are now faced with a plethora
of other decisions that never-before existed, and it can be
overwhelming, if not plain confusing. Where we could once
only order coffee with cream or sugar, we now must choose,
whether we like it or not, among hundreds, if not thousands,
of coffee variations.
We take most decisions too seriously. Try to lighten
up and open yourself to a world of new adventures.
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And our brains may not be ready to keep up. "The trouble
with our brains", says decision researcher Peter Ayton
from the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, "is
that they were designed to survive in the relatively simple
environment of the African Savannah, thousands of years ago."
Today, it will no longer suffice just to know whether or
not to run from an angry lion. To make it in today's jungle,
you must become a skilled decision maker.
How to Eliminate Indecisiveness with Skillful Decisions
There is no shortage of graduate level business courses designed
to teach you how to make decisions, and the processes can
get rather complex. You could easily devote a significant
amount of time to honing this skill (but you'll have to decide
if you should or not). In the meantime, here are some basic
techniques to help you make better decisions and, maybe, become
less indecisive while you're at it.
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List your options. Write down all the possible outcomes
of your decision, but don't evaluate them at this point.
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If necessary, gather information about the decision by
researching or asking friends and family.
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Read over your options and think about how they make
you feel. Eliminate any that evoke no response from you.
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Recognize how each option makes you feel. If a choice
is obviously bad, eliminate it, but otherwise keep all
options open at this point.
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Determine your desired outcome. What would you like
to see happen from this decision?
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Evaluate your options and choose which are most likely
to help you reach your desired outcome.
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Make the decision. Choose the option that seems to
fit best.
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Accept your decision fully. Don't allow yourself to question
whether you made the right choice. Instead, be optimistic
and do all you can to help your decision meet your desired
outcome.
Recommended Reading
How
to Talk to a Teenager (and Know That They're Listening)
The
Six Worst Lifestyle Choices You Could Make
Sources
The
Art of Indecision
Four
Strategies for Power Decision Making
How
to Make Better Decisions