How to take decisions that will help us to achieve success
“Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days… What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We take decisions all the time, some of these are trivial like whether to have an ice-cream or which movie to watch and some are life-changing like which college to join or when to switch careers etc. No matter whether a decision is big or small, it affects our level of happiness and how we feel afterwards. Thus we should be very careful while taking decisions so that we do not regret later on.
How to take a better decision?
Every decision we take is backed by some information and so you must try to collect as much information as possible. Better decisions are always more informed decisions. So, if you want to change your job, find out why you want to change, why you are dissatisfied in the current position and in what way the position you are opting for is better.
When things get complicated, it is better to take help of writing. Instead of playing with the facts in your mind, write them down. Make two columns, pros and cons, and write down all the factors that come to your head under these two columns.
Once you are done, go through them and it will be clear to you which way to go.
Moreover, when you take a decision based on sound judgment, you reduce chances of changing it in the future. Reversing decisions is wastage of energy. Moreover, you can get result only when you are persistent with your efforts. Changing the mind too soon will leave your efforts scattered.
Keep time in perspective
While taking a decision, always consider time as an important dimension. Some decisions affect our life in the long run and hence need to be taken more carefully. How will the decision make you feel 10 minutes afterwards or 10 months or 10 years? Well, 10 years may be too big a time frame as a lot of uncertainties are involved in it still asking yourself is a good thing. You will understand the urgency of the decision and why it matters to you. At least, when you plot your decision on a timeline you will get a broader perspective.
Commit to a decision
Most of our decisions fail, because we do not live up to them. We take decisions with lot of enthusiasm but often do not pursue them. Our resolutions to lose weight or give up smoking fail as we do not commit to them. So, committing to a decision is as important as taking it.
Decision making is all about choosing to do what appeals to you and sticking to it. Take responsibility of your decisions and actions and you will find them bearing good results.