How to make a tough decision when you can't decide.
“It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do.” “We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us.” “If you always make the right decision, the safe decision, the one most people make, you will be the same as everyone else.”
The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you never know where it might have led.
Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.
Every choice has a long afterlife of consequences. No one can know the eventual outcome of any decision. All you can do is make the best choice you can make at the moment.
Here are some useful tips that can help when you're faced with a tough decision and you can't decide on what to do.
1. Pray
What's more important than praying when you are faced with a difficult situation? Many of us can attest to having our prayers answered when we didn't have the wisdom, knowledge, or understanding to handle our problems.
2. Think things through.
Imagine yourself being on the receiving end. What would you want the decision-maker to do? Would you want them to be fair, or do whatever comes to their mind?
Many of us find ourselves acting on impulses that cause us to make rash decisions that create damages far worse than the matter at hand.
Before you jump the gun or fall out of the frying pan and into the fire. Think things over carefully. Lay it all on the table, if you need more time, allow yourself the time to assess and evaluate the situation, meticulously.
Get another person's point of view, preferably someone who stands on neutral grounds to ensure that your basis isn't solely on emotions or biases.
3. Explore all your options.
Don't just jump to conclusions or decide out of frustration. Seek out other options or alternatives to find other workable solutions. If there are, use those that will work best for your situation.
4. Present your findings.
The last thing you'd want to do is to make a tough decision solely on rumors. Present all the facts that will help to strengthen your conclusion of the matter. It's important to be fair and honest.
5. Nip it in the bud.
Don't wait until things are so bad that you have to act now because you're under extreme pressure and the final straw has broken the camel's back. Be proactive, you'll save yourself time and energy from having to deal with a situation when it gets completely out of hand.
6. Clear your head.
When you are stressed, frustrated, and have a lot on your mind. It's easy to make a bad decision. Before making a tough decision take some time to clear your head. Say a prayer, take a walk, do a few breathing exercises, or sit somewhere quiet.
7. Control your emotions.
Do what is right, not what you feel is right. Your decision may offend others but, let truth and honesty be your guide. Take a pragmatic approach.
Whatever your final decision is ensure it's something that has been carefully thought through and you've done all your due diligence before coming to this conclusion.
8. What are the benefits of your decision?
Remember, this isn't only about you. Think about the impact that your decision could have on others. Are you doing this to prove a point?
How will this decision help in the long run? What about those that will be affected? Is this the best thing to do at this juncture? These are things you'd want to think about.
9. Think about similar decisions you've made.
What approach did you take in resolving similar issues to this? Did they work? What could you have done differently? Carefully assessing similar situations that you've had to deal with will guide you into making the best choice and avoid making the same mistake twice.
10. Weight the cost.
How much is too much? Does the loss exceed the benefits? Will it cost more to hold on or to let go? Are you wasting your time, energy, and resources? Have you seen any noticeable changes that could help to alter your final decision? These are things you'd want to think about. It wouldn't make sense if you aren't getting the results you were looking for.
Final thoughts: No one likes to sit in the hot seat, yet we can't always elude situations when they present themselves to us. It's no easy feat in making tough decisions. I hope that these useful tips will at least ease some of the pressure when you are faced with tough decisions.
Quotes about tough decisions:
“Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.”
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