Is There a Formula for Being Decisive?

It is probably safe to say we all have made decisions that came back to bite us or we regretted. Think of one of yours… 

Did you make the decision in a hurry? 

Didn’t you always know in the pit of your stomach, that is was not the right thing to do? 

The answer is indubitably a yes. 

Train yourself to implement a simple 3-step plan to improve your thought process:

•  Research the options

•  Weigh out the pros & cons of all viable choices

•  Listen to your instincts

The absolute first step in making a wise business decision is to educate yourself by gathering all the facts. 

That may seem like a no-brainer but it’s surprising how many times we rush in our decision making choices because we assume we know all we need to know without doing the proper research. Rash decisions that come back to haunt you because you didn’t do your homework are one of the quickest ways to lose credibility and trust with your clients or followers. It is worth taking an appropriate amount of time to think it through beforehand.

Make sure you study all the viable options, gather input from people familiar with the situation and get advice from unbiased advisors. 

Brainstorm your alternative, visualize what the result of each reasonable scenario would be and then factor in what your gut is telling you before making your choice. This will give you more to work with when it comes down to making wise business decisions.

After you have completed the previous steps, you probably will know the right decision to make as your instinct meter will probably going off. There is a lot to be said for intuition and I find mine usually steers me to the right choice – when I listen to it. If you are being pushed to an answer or if it doesn’t feel right, it is probably better you seek an alternative or walk away altogether.

All decisions should involve a similar process, large or small.

The difference is how much time you place on the overall decision making. Even a minor decision deserves proper due diligence. And nothing is wrong with sleeping on it overnight. However, there is a balance you need to strike depending on the individual circumstances. There is a point it is better to move forward rather than to let a decision paralyze your progress. 

Do your homework then design a plan and go for it!