What kind of decision maker are you? And is it serving you?
To me, decisiveness is best described as skill that runs along a spectrum; indecision on one end and impulsive on the other.
We'll start with indecision. It often looks like deferring to someone else to make decisions for you. It can also look like rarely making your own decisions - small or large. On this end, every decision feels big, scary and highly consequential. Why? Because you don't make enough decisions to know how 99% of decisions aren't permanent. They're just information gathering tools. Your favorite phrases might be, "I don't know," or "I don't care," or "It doesn't matter to me."
Moving down the line a bit, next we have the cautious and thoughtful with their decision making. This person does their research. And does more research. They compare. They contrast. They do even more research. They weigh the cost vs. the benefits. They're patient with their decision making and it can often take months for them to finally land on a big decision. Even then, they may second guess their decisions.
In the middle, we have a person who gathers necessary information. Weighs the pros and cons, looks at comparable options, and then decides.
Moving on down the line, new we have the fast decision maker. They may only take seconds or minutes to weigh the options. They often go with their gut vs. looking at all of the research. When they know, they know.
Finally, at the other end of the spectrum are the impulse decision makers. They often take little to no time to consider pros or cons and their purchases are often on a whim or an attempt to fill an emotional need. As a result, many purchases go unused or they're disappointed by what they purchased or it doesn't fully meet their needs.
Is there a right way to make decisions? Not necessarily. However, living in indecision drains your energy. Constantly weighing the pros and cons is tiring for our brains. It's like this slow leak of energy. Now, of course on the other end, being highly impulsive with decisions can have negative consequences, too. Overspending is one, or depending on the decision, actual danger.
If you're on either extreme, working your way to the middle or even to being a fast decision maker can have significant benefits. Confidence, more energy, getting to the next level of your growth - faster, as well as getting to know yourself better, to name a few.
So, which one are you? Are you ready to learn how to make decisions, faster? And with more confidence? Book a consultation! It's 45 minutes of talking about where you are now, and the life you want to create in your future. AND you get to make a decision at the end of our conversation. Perfect practice if you're indecisive! 🙂 Chat soon.
Gretta