There are three reasons why people struggle with personal or business decision-making.
- Procrastination
- Vague objectives
- Risk factors
Procrastination. If a decision is worth making, there’s usually no credible reason for putting it off. A common refrain is that more information is required before the decision can be firmed up, but that’s really an excuse. Information accumulates once any decision is made and acted upon, thus we can make changes in midstream or stay the course if all is going well. So procrastination amounts to a lack of discipline and can only be fixed when we finally “decide to decide.”
Vague objectives. It’s imperative that we’re clear about where we want a decision to take us, so objectives must be clearly defined. For example, if your new diet requires that you eat high protein, low carbohydrate foods, bypassing the pasta section is a no-brainer, otherwise you’re sabotaging yourself. You know that your objectives are clear when you have no doubt about where you want them to take you.
Risk factors. If you’ve decided that you want to eat a bowl of ice cream, your choices are vanilla or chocolate and you like them both equally, your risk of not enjoying it are zero. Important decisions though – those that come with possible consequences – always involve some measure of risk, and assessing for risk, is obviously judicious. But taking no risk due to fear of failing or having to spend money to fulfill the objectives, for example, spells doom because it minimizes or flat out negates the possibility of reward, rendering the initial decision meaningless.
So the path to less consternation when making a decision goes like this: Don’t put off making it, be clear about where you want the decision to take you, and welcome the risk involved.
