My husband and I used to take our diddly time to plan our holiday. We’d see a great price on a flight and then both find ourselves saying, “Well let’s wait and see if we should go.” It was this conditioned response — which ultimately resulted in either not taking the trip or paying more for the flights as we watched the prices climb. Then one day, when those words came out of his mouth, I blurted out:
Wait and see for what? What are we waiting for EXACTLY?
I wasn’t yelling at him or me or anyone. I just wanted us to check-in on this behavior that left us nicely wedged on the proverbial fence.
Even today, in leading the Summer Body Bliss, I can notice my tendency to wait and see how the day pans out with eating or exercise. Sometimes it’s great and other times, there’s definitely room for improvement. So I asked myself yesterday, “Why am I waiting to see? What external condition am I waiting for?”
JUST DECIDE LADY!
I invite you to look in your life where you are waiting and seeing. For what exactly? And can you instead just decide to decide?
Make a decision. Act. Then make another decision. Act again.
Too many of us are afraid to make decisions because we fear we’ll make the wrong one.
Well, often times you won’t know if it’s “right” or “wrong” UNTIL you act. Once you act, you unleash a bunch of new energy and new information that you can use for your next decision.
One of the executives I consulted to attributed his success to being able to make decisions quickly. He empowered his direct reports to do the same thing. He said, “Paula, living in limbo land is so stifling to a team (and company). Do your homework, make an educated decision based on the information you have at the time, and then act. Even if the outcome isn’t ideal, move forward with the new information and make the next decision.”
His team accomplished so much and with such empowering energy.
In life, it’s all a guess anyways. We can’t predict exactly how something is going to turn out.
So take a chance, experiment. Decide what the day is about. Then act as if it’s so.
Otherwise that wedge up the butt gets pretty nasty. And the view never changes.
To your sparkling success,
Paula
Oh Paula, this is so my theme for the month of July… thanks you for making me aware if it so I can implement it into my life.
Hugs to you beautiful lady. 🙂
You and me both Karry Ann! We can do this. Our life changes when we do. Love and hugs to you, my friend.
You really have struck a chord with me, Paula. I always come up with two choices in my head and they both seem like negatives! (ie. I could buy my tickets now & pay too much or wait but then there is limited options – instead I should try to frame it as two positives – would make it easier to pick if I came out a winner either way – I could buy now & have an awesome vacation or wait for a deal & have extra $ to spend on the trip). I have a friend who points out it is never a comfortable place to be, straddling a fence – proverbial or otherwise!
The wheels have been churning in my head since you first mentioned this Decide/Act approach. You have made me realize that I seldom regret my decision once I act on it & usually feel almost giddy knowing I did it – whether it is something as mundane as buying a new lawnmower or something more exciting. Just knowing I am moving forward is a joyful experience.
Thanks Paula!
You’re so welcome Suzanne. I agree — it feels so wonderful to make a decision and seldom do we regret the decisions we make. The painful part is not deciding… which in essence is still a decision.
Keep practising the art of quicker decision making. And you’ll notice it frees up a ton of energy that’s currently trapped in all of our fence sitting!
Lots of love, Paula
So right on you are Paula!
Just commit and as Nike says “Just Do It!”
Health Canada I believe had a similar focus with their participaction program.
Life is a participatory sport so go ahead … dive in and live. You’ll swim! If you don’t take that plunge no matter what, you will simply become a sort of wall flower who’s watching life pass him/her by!
Love how you shine so brightly Paula!
Murray xo
Thanks my dear Murray! And “Just Do It!” applies to both the big and little things.
Oh to live a sparkling life! It’s wonder-full.
Hugs, Paula