Give yourself a deadline.
Are you declaring a decision or committing to a decision you have made? Both are distinct states for the decision maker.
If you missed it, last week I talked about declaring a decision. That’s when you say, “I have a decision to make!” You proclaim it and begin the decision process. You are in a state of inquiry and dialogue about your decision. During this process you should be considering options and taking action on learning more about the problem or opportunity.
When you declare a commitment, that means you are moving into action. You’re saying, “I’ve decided to [fill in the blank], by [date].” Give yourself a deadline. It creates commitment, urgency, and puts you into committed action.
A lot of self-judgment can come up around deadlines. Remember, you can always renegotiate the deadline with yourself – you are the decision maker! Things can come up along the way that require you to tighten or lengthen the deadline.
For example, you’ve declared that you’re going to apply to four colleges.
- You found out the deadlines are sooner. Well, you may have to move your deadline earlier.
- They aren’t due until later. You might want to give yourself more time to get the recommendations from the right people. It’s going to actually enhance your application to shift your personal deadline later.
You’re just renegotiating time based on information you gather. By taking action you’re declaring that you’ve MADE the decision, regardless of what you need to do about the deadline.
Add excitement to your decision declaration and say to yourself, “This is an invitation to process a decision! I wonder what exciting future I’ll create?” And then notice, when you’ve decided, you’re declaring from the rooftops “I’ve made a decision.”
See what happens when you acknowledge what decision state you’re in and how it relieves some of the pressure!
If you struggle with making decisions, or just want to talk about them, schedule a free call with me to help you get clarity. I teach people how to make great decisions. I can help. I’ve opened up some time in my calendar just for you. Click the button below.
Warm regards,
