By , Jeff Goins
Published May 03, 2016
Lately, I’ve been hearing from friends who are struggling to make the right decision. “I want to write a book but I don’t know where to start.” “I’d love to quit my job, but what would I do?” “I’ve always wanted to travel, but can’t find the time.” In a way, they’re all saying the same thing: "I'm scared."
Thirty years from now, you won’t remember what cereal you chose at the grocery store. On your death bed, you won’t care which vacation cruise package you picked. You won’t recall whether you chose to see the romantic comedy or the action adventure. None of these things will have mattered.
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What will matter is that you acted, that you made a contribution -- that you decided to do something. Or that you didn’t. So here are three keys to becoming a more decisive leader.
Most decision aren't life-changers. They just aren't. The universe doesn’t care what you have for breakfast, but chances are you will eat something. So get on with it. And certainly, you’d be better off eating eggs than Pop Tarts (unless, of course, we’re talking brown sugar Pop Tarts -- those things are divine). It’s not that all decisions are equal. They aren't. It’s that most of the time, you just need to decide to pick something.
You can, of course, make a bad decision. But often, the decision isn’t between this or that; it’s between acting or not. And this is what most of us are afraid of doing -- making a choice. We waste time writing up plans and setting goals that never get done. We worry about doing the wrong thing and obsess over the details. And sadly, we end up squandering the most important moments of our lives.
I’m not anti-planning. I just know that for me and plenty of people I talk to, a lot of preparation is really stalling, hiding from the discomfort of deciding. It's another way to stay stuck. So what’s the solution? What’s the answer to this paralysis we sometimes feel?
Just start. Quit trying to control things and make more decisions. Life is a journey, not a business plan. And even the best business plans are really guesses. So if must plan, then plan. But do it quickly, so that you can get on with executing it. That's where you'll really learn and grow.
I know, it sounds sort of grand, doesn’t it? But do you want to plan your life away or live it? Let go and live the story.
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Where you’re going doesn’t matter as much as you think. Just go. More often than not, you just need to move in a direction, not the direction. Stop worrying so much about which way to go and just get moving.
As you build momentum, you can learn to steer. A friend of mine calls this the bicycle principle. What he means by this is that it’s easier to make changes in life once you’re moving. Just as with riding a bike, you can steer more easily the faster you’re going. Conversely, if you’re not moving and you try to steer, you’ll probably fall down. Isn’t it interesting that failure is what happens not when we move too quickly, but too slowly? So just start pedaling and see where you end up.
Where you are is nowhere near as final as it seems.
Your job as an entrepreneur is to take chances, not have all the answers. If this challenges the very fibers of your being, try any (or all) of the following:
Some of these things may seem silly, but the more you do them, the more in control you’ll feel. And the truth is, we can’t plan life -- but we can participate in it. The things that once seems so uncontrollable are more in your grasp than you realize. Just remember: It’s not about the destination, it’s about the direction.
If you don’t know what to do with your life -- what book to write, what song to sing, what job to choose, which business to start -- try picking something. It’s not a fail-proof solution, but it's not a bad place to start. Because the truth is once you start moving, you can always change direction. Good luck.
Related: 5 Common Mental Errors That Stop You From Making Good Decisions
https://www.foxnews.com/us/3-keys-to-becoming-a-more-decisive-leader