Do you have a tough time making a choice? If so, you know it can drive you crazy… and waste a lot of time. Here’s a typical internal dialogue of an indecisive person:
“Maybe I should do this.
No, maybe I should really do that.
I don’t know what to do.
Ok, I guess I’ll go with my first idea.
But maybe that’s not the best idea.
Oh, I can’t stand this. I’ve got to decide what to do.
I can’t.
Why not?
It’s not so simple.
It’s complex; No, I’m complex.
I’m not complex, I’m just neurotic.
No, I’m not.
Yes, I am.
All right; stop all this going back and forth. I must decide already.
So, maybe I’ll do this!”
Is there any help for indecisive people? Must they continue to torture themselves with even the most mundane decisions? If you’re struggling with interminable indecisiveness, here are a few ideas that I hope will help you move forward:
1. In real life, as opposed to your fantasy life, there is rarely an absolute best decision.
Sure, you want all your decisions to be safe, secure and the “right” one. Yet, decisions are a risky business. By making a decision, you risk being wrong. By taking a stand, you risk being ridiculed. By making a choice, you risk regretting it. Can you take steps to minimize these risks? Of course. Will you ever eliminate all risk? Never. But, is it better to make a decision than to be bogged down with indecisiveness? Yes! Yes! And Yes!
2. Trust your intuition.
You probably equate more thinking with better thinking. However, too much thinking reaches a point of diminishing returns. Then what happens? The paralysis of analysis. Too many options, too much vacillating about what to do and you get more and more anxious. Then, you freeze. So, instead of going on and on trying to figure it out, try trusting your intuition. Intuition is not the enemy. Unless you are on a destructive path, it is customarily your wise, well-informed friend.
3. Enough is enough!
If you second-guess every decision before you make it, then drive yourself crazy after you make it, tell yourself “enough is enough.” Once you make a decision. It’s done. For better or for worse. Let go. Then, use your beautiful brain to get on with your life.
© 2016
