How You Can Be Decisive (7 Strange Tips)
We make decisions every single day.
From the mundane like choosing what shirt we put on in the morning, to deciding whether or not to quit our job.
Now, I want you to imagine making a hard choice today.
Picture yourself standing at the crossroads of career paths, torn between finance or architecture.
Or perhaps its a life changing choice like quitting a stable job to start a business?
Or it could be making a decision to buy a new house or to rent in another city?
Whatever it might be, every decision, big or small, carries the potential to change trajectory of our lives.
But we never really stop to think about how we can become better at making decisions.
Instead, it’s usually the fear of the unknown that paralyses us, leaving us trapped in a cycle of indecision and doubt.
I used to be someone who would always second-guess my decisions.
Several years ago I was faced with one of the most significant decisions of my life. The choice between studying Biomedical Science at King’s College London or pursuing Medicine in Southampton.
Southampton offered a seemingly straightforward path to becoming a doctor. (Which was my goal at the time).
I explored the city and saw what it had to offer. It was a pleasant place but it lacked the magnetic pull that London had over me.
Whenever I visited relatives or headed there for weekend getaways there was always a sense of excitement and possibility.
And that longing to experience life in the heart of a metropolis is something I wanted.
I was torn.
So I did what any indecisive person would do - I analysed every possible angle, weighed the pros and cons, and second-guessed myself a hundred times over.
It wasn't an easy decision to make, let me tell you.
But eventually, I took a leap of faith and decided to enrol at KCL.
It was scary, knowing that I was stepping into the unknown and leaving behind the safety net of what I knew.
At the time I was never sure if I made the right decision or not.
And you know what? It was the best decision I could have made.
Living in London was an incredible experience, full of adventures, opportunities, and meaningful friendships that have had a lasting impact on me.
The friendships I made during my time there are ones that I cherish; they've become lifelong connections built on shared experiences and personal growth.
And living independently in such a bustling city helped me to grow as a person.
It taught me important life skills like resilience and adaptability, and gave me the confidence to make decisions on my own.
Looking back, I can see how my time in London played a big role in shaping who I am today, and I'm grateful for the memories and lessons it’s provided.
In truth, I spent a long time mulling over the decision. Weighing the options back and forth in my mind. And sure, you can take more time for life-changing decisions.
But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was just avoiding making the decision.
And making no decision or putting it off, is actually a decision by itself.
I wanted to make the correct choice but I didn’t know what the right option would be.
Second guessing can lead to poor decision making.
Days turned into weeks and as the deadline was looming, the pressure to make a choice grew.
But then I realised something.
Waiting for the perfect moment or the right option might never come. I had been thinking about it for weeks. All it did was stress me out.
So I decided to move forward and take a leap of faith.
I trusted that whatever path I chose will lead me to wherever I’m meant to be.
Now I want you to picture someone decisive.
- A decisive person is someone who gets things done.
- They are proactive and efficient. They make mistakes and learn from them quickly.
- Their ability to swiftly translate thoughts into actions, sets them apart from the rest.
- Someone who is decisive takes action.
Here's 7 principles to help you become more decisive.
1. Avoid making bad decisions.
A lot of the time the key to making good decisions is avoiding the really bad ones.
Let me explain. Bad decisions are choices that offer minimal benefits but carry the potential for significant negative consequences.
They're high-risk, low-reward situations that can quickly derail your life.
Think drunk driving. Not wearing a seatbelt. Stealing. Cheating in an exam. Writing hateful things on social media.
In the moment these things might feel good, they may save you effort, time or money.
But they can also lead to bad things.
I think we’ve all probably heard of stories from people we know or famous people making really bad decisions that they regret.
Emotional escalation usually clouds judgement.
So try to resist the appeal of short-term gains that come with these bad decisions.
2. Aware of your emotional state when making decisions.
When it comes to decision making, we’re often told to be rational rather than emotional. And that’s fine, I agree.
But we are human beings. Emotions are part of what makes us human.
In high velocity and high stake situations, your emotional state can impair you ability to make the correct call.
Don't ignore your emotions.
Take a moment to recognise what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling it.
Become self-aware.
Feel the emotion, but don’t let that emotion make the decision for you.
3. Not all decisions are really important.
Not all decisions are created equal.
I mean think about it - choosing what drink to get at starbucks versus what you’ll study at university are quite different in terms of magnitude.
One is just a quick choice about your caffeine fix for the day, while the other could shape your entire future.
It's all about understanding the scale of impact each decision holds.
Choosing your degree is a whole different ball game.
It can open up doors to certain careers, shape your expertise, and basically lay the groundwork for your professional journey.
So, why does this matter?
Well, if you recognise the weight of each decision it helps you to prioritise where to focus your energy. Instead of sweating the small stuff, we can zero in on the choices that will actually shape our path - the choices that will actually make an impact.
It's all about finding that balance between considering the big picture and not getting bogged down by every little decision that comes our way.
Spend less time making small decisions.
4. Make decisions based on your values.
Decide what your principles and core values are, then make decisions based off those.
When your values are clear to you, making decisions become so much easier.
When we talk about values, we're basically diving into what makes us tick.
These are those core beliefs and principles that matter to us, the stuff that guides how we act and how we see the world around us.
Whether it's in our personal lives, our jobs, or how we interact with society, our values are like a compass, showing us what's right and what's not.
Some of my values are authenticity, loyalty, discipline & growth.
Values are like the backbone of our moral code, helping us navigate through life's maze.
And our values aren't just some abstract things floating around in our heads.
They can actually help when it comes to decision-making and figuring out what's the right move for you.
Clarify your values then make decisions based off those.
5. You should make decisions for the future you.
This is really important. But quite difficult in the age of instant gratification.
We want things immediately. And we are so easily distracted from our goals.
Just picture a day or weekend where you planned to be productive.
You wanted to wake up early, finish off some tasks, sort some bills out, head to the gym and cook a healthy meal.
But then you were derailed by a distraction like your mate messaging you asking you to go out for drinks or a message on your phone leading you to procrastinate for ages.
This idea about making choices for the future you is one that I’ve internalised recently.
When you focus on the needs of the present self, you are essentially prioritising immediate gratification over long-term fulfilment.
It's like giving in to that craving for instant satisfaction rather than considering the bigger picture. You're choosing what feels good in the moment without thinking about the consequences down the road
So try to stop making short-sighted choices. Go to the gym, eat healthier, prioritise your sleep, cut the alcohol down a bit.
Just look a bit further into the horizon.
Your future self will thank you.
So make them proud.
6. Commit to your decisions but with some flexibility.
When you make a decision, it’s important to commit to it.
That means standing firm in your choice and being ready to see it through.
But the thing is, life isn't always predictable.
Things can shift in the blink of an eye, and what seemed like the perfect decision yesterday might not hold true today.
That's where flexibility comes into play.
Being flexible means being open to change and willing to adjust your course when necessary, especially if you’ve realised that you may have made the incorrect decision.
And being flexible is not about abandoning your decisions at the first sign of trouble.
It's about staying agile. You need to be ready to pivot when the situation demands it. And being adaptable is the key to staying ahead of the curve.
7. Accept that you’re going to make mistakes.
None of us are perfect. We're bound to trip up in life and make the wrong decisions and that's fine. It's part of the journey.
Each mistake you make can be a valuable lesson in disguise if you are self-aware.
It's a chance to learn, grow, and come back stronger than before.
So instead of beating yourself up over every little slip-up like I used to, just embrace them.
Because every mistake is a sign that you're trying, that you're pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and daring to chase your dreams.
And yes it might hurt when things aren’t going to plan but trust me when I say that the only real failure is the failure to learn from your mistakes.
You have to keep moving forward.
In almost every case, acting on a choice is better than doing nothing at all.
Taking action, of any kind, helps move you forward.
And if you’re struggling, ask yourself, will the decision make me a better person?
The hard decision is probably the right one to take.
7 Tips You Need To Know
A quote from a great
Be decisive,
Z
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