The cost and danger of indecision

BY DANIEL COLE

Indecision will cost you. It will cost you opportunities, it will cost you your dream, it will cost you time, and it may cost you your future. So many people are stuck in life not because they are clueless about the choices they have to make, but they aren’t confident enough in the outcomes of those choices and are overly concerned about making the right ones. The realities are, there are no guarantees in life, and that is why faith is needed. An indecisive life is not worth living.

At a certain point in our lives, we’ve all been indecisive. We overly analyzed our actions, and as a result, we find it difficult making up our mind. In the archive of an indecisive person, the following phrases are sure to be found, “Let me sleep over it, maybe, am not sure, you decide, I will think about it, am still thinking about it, give me more time, to name a few” I call this analysis paralysis.

When the stakes are high, decisions are often difficult to make. Uncertainty is the driver of indecision. In his book, Thinking fast and slow, Daniel Kahneman wrote, “An unbiased appreciation of uncertainty is a cornerstone of rationality – but it is not what people and organizations want. Extreme uncertainty is paralyzing under dangerous circumstances, and the admission that one is merely guessing is especially unacceptable when the stakes are high. Acting on pretended knowledge is often the preferred solution.” 

There is nothing more inspiring than a progressive life. However, sometimes, indecisiveness is often a product of too many options available to us. It is said that the only way to predict the future is by creating it, in the same vein, sometimes, the only way to predict the outcomes of our decisions is by taking it.

Indecisiveness makes you vulnerable; it projects a lack of self-confidence, poor self-image, lack of self-respect, low self-esteem, and overly dependence on external views or validation. Make the coming year your year of decisiveness. Be confident in the integrity of your own choices, you won’t always be right, but you are better off making up your mind on things that are crucial to your life and destiny.

Here are a few insights on how to manage indecisiveness.

1. Use the 10-10-10 rule in decision making: Ask if what you are deciding on would still matter in 10 minutes, 10 months or in 10 years. The longer the benefits of the decision, the better the chances that the decision is worth taking with thoughtful consideration. Decisions like this may require critical thinking. Take your time to make your choices.
2. Equip yourself with adequate information: The quality of information at your disposal is directly proportionate to the quality of your decisions. More information gives you better insight, a more informed perspective on your decision. Get yourself abreast with all relevant information that will help you fine-tune your thinking process in making up your mind.
3. Write down the pros and cons: Think of the benefits and consequences. Ask, what is the worst-case scenario, and can you survive or live with it? Take time to think about your decision or choices through, but don’t get stuck at thinking. Be proactive and take a bold step.
4. Seek counsel: Success leaves clues, so also does failures. Reach out to those who have once taken similar decisions you are about to take. You will learn more from mistakes made by others, than learning from your own experiences.
5. Trust your gut feelings: There is no absolute certainty that things will turn out exactly the way you’ve planned, sometimes you just have to trust your gut feelings and use your instincts. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:3 “If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.”