Should I ask her to marry me? Is it the right time to buy a house? Do we want a pet? We are confronted with big choices in life that can greatly impact our lives and our happiness. It’s common to struggle with decisions and fear that we may make the wrong ones. Making decisions about our careers, our families and our lives is not always easy.
NEXT TIME YOU ARE AGONIZING OVER WHAT TO DO CONSIDER THESE POINTS:
- Take some time. Spur of the moment or during stress is not the time to make any choice. It’s easy to get caught up in emotion. Distance can bring clarity.
- Listen to your instincts, but beware of your beliefs. Sometimes we are biased regarding a decision, and the research we do is really fishing for support. Don’t be afraid to consider the opposite of your initial thoughts.
- Decide not to decide. In generating possible courses of action, one should always consider, 'not doing anything' or deferring an action. Sometimes a situation may work itself out.
- Broaden your focus. Instead of thinking in terms of 'this or that' option, widen your thoughts to consider various options. Making decisions can be hard. You have a better chance of making a good decision if you can give yourself some time to think. Obtain emotional distance, gather facts and experiences of others and look at as many options as possible.
" The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn." - David Russell