We all need to make choices. However, it seems like many decisions seem to be stalled these days. What are we waiting for? Is the Covid situation causing us to pause and wait? Wait for what? Is political uncertainty causing us to wait? Again, wait for what? How will you know it’s the right time to make the decision?What about deciding on taking a new approach to something? Or even taking a radically new approach to something, more akin to being an early adopter?
Are you waiting for someone else to change things for you – to give you a reason to stop waiting?
Are you worried about making a wrong decision and that perhaps the possibility of making a poor decision is causing you to do nothing at all?
Seth Godin’s blog had this to say about Bad Choices.
If made freely, a choice feels like the right thing at the time.
But we realize it was a mistake later, once the moment passes. We don’t know now what we learned in the future.
Bad choices can be caused by:
- Poor information
- Shoddy analysis (including cognitive glitches and reliance on sunk costs)
- Peer pressure
- Manipulation
- Hustle
- Power imbalance
- Focus on the short run
- Indoctrination
- Superstition
- Unexamined biases
Take a look: each of these is the product of outside forces and can be unlearned and insulated against. The good news is that we can get better at our choices.
The constant waiting to figure out if now is the right time to do something can be worse than sadness or depression because there may be no tangible reason to feel the way you do, to justify the waiting.
Seth’s musings take you beyond not doing something, to a place of discovery about making a decision. If I’m going to do something, how can I improve the chances of making a good decision? In addition, perhaps by considering what is stopping you from making a decision (and moving forward) will indeed motivate you to, move, forward.
So, start somewhere! Take a little time to consider your options, and start now. A great place to start is by asking people questions. Start a dialog. You will be better for it.
