The Best Time to Make A Decision Is When It’s Not the Best Time. ~Fabian S Reid~
We all have to make decisions; about what to eat, what to wear, who to date, among many others. Some decisions may be about less significant issues, while others may be about life-changing affairs. Whenever you decide, you are exercising your power of choice, and it is one of the most liberating things you can do in life.
However, many people find decision-making processes terrifying because they don’t understand the power of a decision or have mental models that can guide them through the process smoothly. You’re at the right place if you want to make better decisions and be more confident about your resolutions. This article expounds on why our choices are powerful and the best time to make a decision.
Why Does Decision-Making Make Us Anxious
We majorly become anxious about our decision-making because of ‘what-ifs’. Since we regard choices as “life-altering moments”, we put it off with the excuse that we want to be sure of ourselves but usually end up not taking any step at all.
Of course, there are times when making a decision can set the course for the rest of your life. Such decisions, therefore, require everything it takes to take them with utmost certainty. However, some decision-related anxieties are not because of the decision in itself but because of your assumptions and fears. For such decisions, you put off taking action for days, weeks, years, or even, never.
We become anxious because we fear that making a particular decision may result in an error of judgment where we won’t quickly correct any mistake that we make. This also makes it more challenging to make the decision. However, our perception is not always steeped in reality. What you think may be informed by what you fear, not necessarily by what is real. The Journal of Neuroscience reveals that the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) is critical for good decision making, but it becomes disengaged due to the chemicals anxiety induces. The PFC helps to detach emotional influences from the decisions we make and also calms down the amygdala. The amygdala is a part of the brain that runs on raw emotion, impulse, and instinct. It is difficult to make good decisions if you don’t first control your fear.
The Nature of Decisions
Although decisions are powerful, they’re not always easy. We have all suffered from decision paralysis at some point in time in our lives. When you realize the ripple effects your decisions can have, it can become frightening. The major hurdle is to ensure you go ahead to make the necessary decision, rather than allowing your fears to hinder you. Sometimes, when you’re afraid to make a wrong decision, you end up not deciding at all. However, not making a decision is another decision in and of itself – even worse – it’s almost always the wrong one.
When you fail to decide as and when due, it can keep you stuck in the same position in life when you should be making progress. This feeling reinforces the fear that kept you from deciding the first place. It can deplete your confidence, happiness, and certainty about the future at the end of the day.
Decision paralysis can seem like a legitimate excuse for failing to make a decision. Still, in most cases, it’s better to risk making a decision, even when you’re not 100% sure it’s the right course of action than to not decide at all. When you do not decide on time, it can keep you in a bad place emotionally and mentally.
Even when you feel it’s not the perfect time, there’s a way taking a decision can reinforce your sense of responsibility. Thus, even if the decision turns out to be a poor one, you’ll find the strength to pick yourself back up and keep it moving. After all, the people who seem to have their lives together make mistakes too! They just recover from it faster than those who are afraid of making mistakes. When you’re able to act despite the fear that you feel and the doubts you have, you can have better control over your decision-making outcomes. It is a rather curious case of the way up is down. When you allow fear to stop you from making a decision, the consequence will confirm your fears. But when you decide, even if it seems you’re not prepared, the consequence can make you more open to taking risks.
The Cure to Decision Paralysis
The tested cure to decision paralysis is to make a decision even when it’s not the best time. If you make up your mind that doing nothing is not an option, then you are one step closer to conquering decision paralysis. However, you can remain stuck with that mindset if you don’t take action. Real-life teaches us that success is biased towards people who make decisions quickly.
However, there is a difference between making decisions swiftly and making them recklessly. Reckless decisions are taken without healthy consideration for the consequences or outcomes of such decisions. Swift decisions are taken without the excessive lethargy that fuels inaction. When you find yourself hesitating to decide without acquiring the information needed to make a more informed choice, decision paralysis is already setting in. making decisions quickly leaves little to no room for fears, doubts, worry, and second-guessing. Sometimes, take the plunge first. Every other thing you do is only wasting your time and allowing the problem to fester. The thing is, things can always go wrong. No assurance removes all the risks from a decision you want to take. Just get familiar with your subject matter and ensure that you’re acting from an enlightened perspective. No one has all the time to analyze all the potentials and possibilities linked to a particular course of action. Stop worrying. Make that decision now. It is the best time to do it. When you commit to a specific course of action, you will discover that following through is easier than when you were at the deliberation stage. The best time to make a decision is when it’s not the best time. Only by deciding at that time can you work on it without allowing doubt and worry to weigh you down.
Once you discover a course of action that suits your ultimate goal, commit to it right away. Although questions and issues will come up along the way, since it’s too late to back down, and there’s no hitch-free alternative, you’ll be able to solve them along the way.
Why You Need To Make A Decision Now
There may be no second Chance
There are times when the window of opportunity for the right decision is fleeting. The easiest way to regret missing out on such an opportunity is to have no legitimate reason to miss it. Be swift about seizing the opportunities that align with your vision.
You can change your mind
Sometimes, the fear of the unknown can make it seem like you shortchanged yourself with your goal, but that is far from the truth. A bird at hand is still worth two in the bush. Moreover, many decisions provide the opportunity for improvement along the way. However, such an opportunity is only available to those who have shown commitment. It begins with a step.
For better focus
Let’s be honest; some decisions are unimportant. Don’t waste precious time deliberating on them. Capitalism has made many simple decisions seem significant, but we must not be carried away. Does it matter which brand of toothpaste or toiletries you use?
To Take responsibility
You are the captain of your ship. Live your life, make your choices and choose your happiness. Be influenced by people, but determine by whom, how, and when.
To avoid making a passive choice
The best gift you can give yourself is to be deliberate about your life. But you can easily ignore this gift when you fail to take decisions. In a way, you’re deciding to live life at the mercy of your situations and circumstances.
A good decision trumps a perfect one
A good decision taken is better than a perfect decision that wasn’t taken. Don’t pass up on a good opportunity because you’re waiting for a perfect one.
Choosing is a privilege
You do have the privilege of charting your course in life, and you exercise this through the decisions you make. Choose wisely.
To prevent boredom
It may seem as if indecision will lead to a more comfortable life on the surface, but nothing could be farther from the truth. It leads to boredom as you have to wait for others before knowing what to do with your life. Yikes!
Now is all you have
Tomorrow is only a promise – a dream. Today is all you have. It’s all anyone has. If you’re wondering when will be the best time to take that decision, it is when it is not the best time. Take it now. Take it right away.
Conclusion
No book, message, or relationship will change your life. Even this blog post won’t change your life. The only thing that has the power to change your life is your decision. Many people consume content and think it should suffice to change them to who they want to be, but the decisions that the content drives them to take will determine the change they see. Remember, no one succeeds by having a laid-back attitude towards life. You have to actively pursue success to achieve it. You have just read about taking decisions swiftly. What decisions will make swift decision-making a part of your person?
