Sometimes I find myself at a crossroads in my life, a transition, a choice point, when I am faced with important decisions that need to be taken. More often than not there are two or three options, presenting themselves at the same time.

They inevitably relate to either commencing a business partnership, beginning a relationship or deciding which creative or development project to invest my time, energy and focus into.  Often the choices are overwhelming and either way they are loaded with emotional charge and the potential for pain, failure or disappointment, so I find myself avoiding making these decisions for as long as possible.

Do you find yourself at a crossroads right now?  You know that you need to make a decision that will bring about a change in your life, career, health or relationship status but you are in limbo, frustrated, filled with self-doubt and don’t know which way to turn.  You may be feeling unsure, uncertain and lack clarity about what decision will be best for your highest and greatest good or have the best possible outcome for you. Now it’s easy to get caught in procrastination, but you know what they say – no decision at all is still a decision. The problem is that you may not like the outcome of where that non-decision leads.  So what can you do to put your hands firmly on the steering wheel of your life and experience?

Firstly, take a step back and think about ‘what do you really, really want?’  Paint a very clear vision of your desired outcomes and what it would look like, sound like and feel like for you to be living it.  Think about WHY you want this and what is most important to you about this?  You can do this by making a list of your highest values criteria and running your decision through these as a series of questions i.e., 

In the initial phase of decision making, stay open to all ideas, however illogical they may seem and avoid any criticisms or judgments. Avoid being practical while you are still generating options and exploring possibilities. You need to carefully consider and weigh up several options and choices, acknowledging what is both positive or negative about the decision you are thinking of making, so that you can determine the extent to which it is aligned with who you really are and what you really want for yourself.  Ask yourself the question “Will this decision take me a step closer to my ultimate vision or not?”

Before making any definitive decision, give yourself enough time to gather all the relevant information you will need to make an informed and well considered decision.  Once you have gathered all of the relevant information, make time and space to connect with yourself and check in to make sure that your head and heart are in alignment with respect to whatever decision you make before implementing the decision.

Then turn to someone that you respect and trust deeply, that has your best interests at heart to run the decision by, who will give you valuable and sound input into your decision-making process.  This will help you become aware of any blind-spots you might have or to consider your decision from alternative perspectives.

Making decisions is like using a muscle.  The more you do it, the stronger the muscle becomes and every decision you make it is like putting your hands on the steering wheel of your life.  If you lack confidence, start off making small decisions every day and eventually you will become so good at it that you will feel ready to tackle the bigger decisions.  Practice makes better every time. 😊