If you think about making big decisions in your life how does it make you feel? Excited? Scared? Eager to get started? Ready to hide?

This is one of a series of articles about decision making, all designed to help you through that big decision.

Think back to a time when you last made a big decision.
Were you looking forward to your future with anticipation? Or were you trying NOT to make the decision because it was overwhelming?

Big decisions are difficult because they can affect many aspects of your life. You may have less or more money. Making a big decision might lead to less security. Or while it may be exciting for you your loved ones will be challenged by it. Or maybe you have so much invested in your current life that change just seems so difficult and so you put off making a decision.

And the one thing that you may be unwilling to admit, even to yourself, is fear. Fear of decision making can keep you stuck, even when where you are is increasingly uncomfortable. It might be that you are afraid that making changes will lead to success, but will also take you away from everything that you know and are familiar with. Or perhaps you are making a decision about something that could result in failure.

While fear of failure is acknowledged as a barrier to good decision making, fear of success is often overlooked. Being afraid of being really excellent, really powerful and really making a difference is very common and is a huge barrier to overcoming decision making problems.

So if you are blocked around making a big decision, ask yourself honestly what it is you fear…and this can be the start of making the decision. As I coach people through major changes and transitions I know this matters, and I can help you manage that fear (and can even make it go away), so don’t hold back on the decisions you need to make.

The decision making process does not have to be difficult and decision making tools do not have to be complex.

And if you are stuck over making a big decision, get hold of my Decision Guide now!

Or contact Liz to find out how YOU can get coaching through YOUR big decision.

Best wishes for your future,
Liz

Big decisions, by their nature, are scary. Decision making is in inexact science and the biggest decisions are usually made with incomplete information. There’s always the potential to know more but you can’t predict what’s around the corner and you want to avoid that ‘if only I had known’ feeling in the future. And you may wonder if you are yet ready for change. Or you maybe deciding what will make you take the big step.

Added to this, it is often easier to sit on the fence, fob people off (or fob yourself off) with excuses. It’s easier to say ‘I’ll need more information’ or ‘I’m still thinking about it’. It’s easier to put off a big decision because you don’t have the mental or emotional energy to really think it through.

And when you do this the big decision, like the major task or project, just seems to get bigger. The choices seem more catastrophic and the comfort of staying where you are and doing nothing is what you want.

The problem with this approach is that when you know you have to make a big decision putting it off doesn’t help. The ‘big decision’ pain is still there, eating away at you. It’s like a burden you carry around. It colours your life and everything around you. Its taint acts as a negative energy for everything you do.

And that’s definitely not a good feeling!

There’s always the danger that when it gets too much you do make a decision, but it’s hasty, ill thought out and even dangerous. You are acting from overwhelm, not from strength.

So I want to give you some tips and guidelines to avoid decision-making disaster.

Think about it. Yes, there’s no getting away from it, decision making takes a bit of work. You don’t drift into it (unless you make a decision to drift) and it won’t happen by osmosis.

Think big and you’ll unfurl like a flower, you’ll be able to blossom. Then have a plan to express this big life you want to lead. Even if you don’t know all the answers you can still have a plan. And if you wait till you get all the answers before you draft the plan, then you’ll never make the decision!

Know what your options are:

  • You need to know the external options. What can you do? What is possible? What is out there? And try to think beyond your current horizons, this is your chance to truly expand your life and its possibilities
  • You also need to know your internal options – what do you want to do? What’s the long game?

Value yourself. Do what you have to do to get the best deal for yourself. Recognise what you are prepared to do to support yourself and life the life you want. This doesn’t mean walking all over other people or ignoring what they want. But you should value your own wants and desires as much as theirs. And be prepared to claim the value that you have, now, already. Know your best qualities and excellences – REVEL in who you are!

Look to the future and know that life is a journey. You don’t have to get it all right, it’s not a test. And as you look at the future, make sure it is your future, not someone else’s. And decide now what decisions you need to make to get there.

Making change can be easy!

To YOUR success!

(c) 2011 Liz Copeland

About the author: Liz Copeland is the True Courage Coach. If you are on the brink of something big and want to move forward or if you are being forced to take a big step True Courage Coaching will support you. So if you’ve lost the job, your partner or your waistline and you want to get to step up and into your ideal future get started right away with your free True Courage Creation Kit at http://www.truecouragecoaching.com

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