Mankind has been blessed with the free will of making decisions. These decisions can enrich our life or cause it to take a turn for the worse. Not a day goes by that we don’t make dozens, even hundreds of decisions, most without even thinking.
Daily, we decide when to arise, what to eat, what to wear and what route to take to work or wherever our destination leads. These are made with little pause or thought. Others require a little more insight such as where to vacation, who to date, who to marry, which car to buy and which neighborhood is best for security and schools.
The decisions we make, whether major or minor, affect our lives to no small degree and those decisions must be made. Some of us approach decision making with reluctance and dread being afraid of the consequences. Sure, almost any decision we make could involves conflict and dissatisfaction. Yet, we must take control and make the decision and accept the outcome, good or bad.
Decision making is a lot like bill paying. Both must be done and usually within a certain time frame. If we’re late paying our electric bill the consequences can be the discontinuance of power or a late fee.
If you fail to make a decision in a timely manner it could be taken out of your hands and placed in the hands of others. Avoiding decisions or avoiding paying bills may seem easier but results are rarely desirable.
Why must you make a decision? Identify the purpose, determine exactly what has to be solved and when. It might make the problem become clearer if you make a pro and con list. Study the list and the different choices and evaluate each in terms of consequences. If I make this decision what will happen and if I make another decision this is the result.
Determine the best decision, evaluate the outcome and make the decision. You might be criticized for making the wrong decision but you’ve done the best you can do with all the information available and you moved forward. You made a decision. You did something before being run over from behind. The only people who are never criticized are those who do nothing.
A key decision can alter your life. Accept this fact and approach it with eagerness. In the movie Sliding Doors, a woman’s life is changed dramatically because she failed to make it through a sliding door.
The movie gives us an opportunity to see how she handles each set of circumstances. This is probably an over dramatization, but illustrates the power and importance of our decisions.
Gather information on the decision to be made, determine the best alternative and put that decision into action. Look back only to learn from your past decisions but don’t dwell on them. Move ahead and focus on your future. Decision making requires a plan. If you don’t know where you’re going then one decision is as good as the other.
It’s a good feeling to make a conscious decision about yourself and your life and each time you do this the process becomes easier and your confidence builds. Make a commitment, make a difference and take control of your life.
Have you ever known someone who would do anything to get what he wanted or to get where he wanted to be? You’ve watched that person be dishonest and take advantage of others to achieve his goal. They say anything and promise everything to get to the top and grab the brass ring.
It may sound like we’re talking about politicians and unfortunately this is true of many of them. But actually, these characteristics are evident in many of those we come in contact with every day in our business and personal life. It’s unbelievable how many people are gullible enough to be drawn in to their web of deceit. These people sacrifice their values to reach their goals.
It’s said that if you want to be successful, if you want to lead, then align your values with your goals. If what’s important to you in your daily living can help you reach your objectives then you’re on your way to the top. Values and goals must complement each other for you to be effective.
But, if you struggle with anxiety and unhappiness as you strive for your aspirations then reaching them may not give you inner peace and happiness even if you’re successful. Don’t act like who you’re not to become someone you won’t like once you get there. If you don’t like yourself then no one else will either.
Define your goals. Of course, there are many types of goals and you must decide which is most important to you and your family. Most people when asked to define their goals first think of their career and monetary achievement.
This may include material possessions and social standing in the community. These could coincide with personal and spiritual goals as you climb the mountain of life. Aspire to strike a balance in all these qualities of life.
Define your values. What do you stand for? Is it courage, honesty, dedication, generosity, thoughtfulness, tolerance, loyalty? What drives you each day to get out of bed and do what you have to do? It could be love of family and God. It could be the thought of possessing power and money. Or, you could just feel peace in helping others achieve their goals.
If you’re to be happy in your career and personal life you must align your values and goals. You could fake it until you make it, but unless these are your true values it would be a hollow victory. Be true to yourself, work hard each day and you’ll become the person you deserve to be.
Who do you admire? It could be a famous person who exhibits the values you’d like to possess. There are many notable politicians, clergy, actors and athletes who live the quality of life you admire. Not necessarily their money but their character. Aspire to be like them.
The person you admire and wish to imitate could also be a personal friend or a family member. Ask them what motivates their lives and how they aligned their values with their goals. If you’re properly aligned with the values and goals of your life, you’ll never regret where you are and where you will end.
If you’re one of the few people who isn’t plagued with the problem of procrastination then you’re blessed beyond all measure. This thief of time can quietly rob you of precious minutes, yea hours, before you realize they’re gone. You search for them and wonder where the time has gone, but it’s too late.
The task you intended to complete today was put off until tomorrow and there was good reason to do so, but you can’t remember why just now. Procrastination comes in many disguises. It’s called rationalization sometimes. You say, “I didn’t get started on that project because the weather was too hot or I didn’t have all the parts.” One can always come up with many good reasons to delay a project.
Procrastination can become a habit and if you keep putting off getting new habits then procrastination will be your constant companion. We find ways to delay a task because there are other things more important to do. Many times these are merely excuses such as checking your email, playing an on-line game or surfing the TV to see if you’re missing something interesting.
You must recognize a real reason to delay as opposed to just an excuse not to do something you don’t want to do. Ask yourself if that job really needs to be done and if your answer is yes then get it done and then reward yourself for a victory over procrastination. When the job is complete, step back and assess what you’ve done to see if it was worth the time and effort. Perhaps you were procrastinating for good reason, but that’s rarely the case.
Lack of direction can cause you to procrastinate because you’re not sure what to do next.
Disorganization could be the father of procrastination. Get organized with a to-do list with the most urgent at the top. Make a deal with yourself that you cannot do anything else until you accomplish at least one thing on the list. You can make giant strides with tiny steps.
Huge projects can be daunting whether you’re writing a book or building a house. You can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel because the elephant is standing in the way. Cut a slice out of that elephant one day at a time and soon it will be gone. A small manageable task is much more palatable than trying to swallow the entire project. No matter how small the success it’s another step toward completion.
Make a decision on what needs to be done and do it. Even if it’s wrong at least you’ve done something. Indecision can cause major delays in both your business and personal live. It’s easier to make a decision if you create a list of the pros and cons of what needs to be done. Once you have a clear direction, your mind clears and the path becomes apparent.
Fear of failure can cause procrastination. The failure lies in never getting started. Difficult and dreaded tasks are rarely as bad as they seem at the beginning. Stop procrastinating today. Don’t put it off until tomorrow.