Getting started: make decisions work for you
You are your decisions.
In the absence of momentum there can be no change. So if you want your life and work to be different, presumably better, then you need to get started doing something.
Getting started is not just about doing, it really is about moving from one state to another. Momentum comes into the equation in that we want to move from a less desirable state to a more desirable one. So even choosing NOT to do anything at the time is making a decision when done consciously.
Along the way sometimes we may experience discomfort or uneasiness, yet these are passing stages depending on the decision.
Ultimately decisions create shifts. We are never the same person we were before we consciously make a decision.
Decision making gets you going
Being in a rut we can often feel like there are too many decisions to make. Sometimes these decisions are big ones, other times easy ones. What stops some of us is the act of simply deciding? Well for some it's a personality preference wanting to wait and see. For others it may be deeper and relate to a fear of the consequences.
Either way, for many people, decisions are about commitment. When we make a decision we commit to a course of action to follow. The finality of this action may be too much, thus we avoid the action by not deciding. We keep our options open. Yet we also miss out on opportunities on the other side of the decisions we could be making.
What happens when we decide for our SELF
When we make decisions we are CREATING momentum. We are no longer dependent or leaving things up to fate. We choose what we need, want, desire and act on through our choice. This makes decision making an empowering process for getting started in anything we want to do in our life and work.
Decision making as a conscious process is true self management.
We engage in life and the world in which we live through the decisions we make.
What to do?
So to help you along past the hurdles of decision making here are some suggestions of what you can do should the ideas feel right to you.
- Size counts. Start making small decisions. Yes consciously be aware of the easy decisions and making them. For example, should I go to the networking event on Thursday or not?
- Decide. Approach decision making like you are in training. Regular exercise will prepare you for the big ones rather than leaving it to the last minute or not at all.
- Be aware. Notice what happens to you inside when you make the decision. This means reflecting on the emotions, the feelings, the reactions and attitude that follows your decision. When you feel good then usually the decision is right for you. When you feel bad then something is not right and perhaps you need to continue with the decision.
- Find your natural style. Over a period of time, say a week or longer, study your decision making pattern. Keep a diary or mental note, whatever works for you. Notice what gets in the way and what supports you in making decisions.
- Adjust along the way. If you like what you are finding then keep it up. If not then adjust your own internal process. You can do this because it is YOUR process, not some text book or methodology.
- Go big. Ramp up your scale and impact. Make a BIG decision and notice what happens. Maintain conscious awareness of the beliefs and attitude you hold in regards to the decision. Stay real and stay positive.
- Enjoy. Yes, once you start making decisions that suit you, life and work start to look different, change for the better and move forward in directions you never imagined possible.
I am not saying that decision making is easy. I am saying that if you are conscious, develop your own decision making process, that decisions will flow and support you rather than hinder you. What would you rather have?
When we get started with decisions, big things can happen for us.