When it comes time to make an important decision, how quickly are you able to take action quickly enough to seize opportunities?
The more options you have, the less easily you’ll be able to decide.
In which of these two situations will you be able to decide more easily: to choose between two dressings or to choose a dressing from a full row at the supermarket? I bet that you decide on a reduced offer the fastest. Some of you at the supermarket in front of the full row of dressings may even find yourself without a dressing at the end (simpler) or take any (too much effort to decide).
If we bring this back to important professional or personal decisions, the range of options is often found in the amount of information to be processed in order to decide.
Too much information or separate opinions quickly turns into a decision-making paralysis.
The paralysis of the decision translates concretely into a lack of action… which causes you to miss out on opportunities.
Let’s talk briefly about the tips. Let’s be honest, who really applies the advice they receive? And who is not frustrated to see all his advice turn into… No action?
Yes, it is healthy to seek advice. No, it’s not healthy to ask for too much.
If you ask me for my opinion on your promotion, and I have just experienced a difficult one, I would advise you to think carefully. If I have always refused promotions for lack of confidence, I will tell you to be careful. If I have been successfully promoted, I will encourage you despite your fears. No matter where you start from and what you are looking for, I will be in good faith, but will speak according to MY experience, MY personality, MY experience.
And you? What do you need?
We each have our own story, each our own context and MY advice is based on MY experience. Take the 2% that may belong to you, and leave the rest.
An example? In the first few months I created Unique coaching, I asked a lot (too much) for advice from various people, with various expertise. This had the impact of weakening the confidence I had in my project. It was my coach who told me to make up my own mind and to only take what concerned me from what people were telling me. The learning was worth it, and at the same time I lost precious months and probably opportunities.
How could I have kept my momentum? Especially since I had already decided! So, imagine that you have a difficult decision to make or that you have just made it and you are bombarded with information and opinions from all sides.
How can you decide or take responsibility for your decision, while being informed about all aspects?
Of course there are professional coaches who are trained for this, in fact it is the heart of our business to help people make difficult decisions according to THEIR context, but you can also:
- Announce that your decision is almost made and ask for advice on a particular aspect. In other words, get the information YOU need to finalize your decision. Examples:
- “I almost completely decided to accept a promotion, considering the pros and cons. I need advice to discuss this with my spouse, can you help me? »
- “I’m really leaning towards deciding to accept the promotion and I feel that I’m missing information in [tel] the field, can you help me with that?”
- Manage advice by putting it in writing and then letting it “sit” for at least 24 hours. Then reread them, asking yourself what really belongs to you. Discard the rest.
You are the best person to make the decisions that affect you.
So how do you decide?
- Ask for the necessary details at the level where YOU need them.
- Don’t stay on perceptions by making scenarios. Go and validate directly with the people concerned or look for specific information.
- Don’t let yourself be too influenced by other people’s insecurities or risk-taking levels. Respect yours.
I repeat:
You are the best person to make the decisions that affect you.