3 Keys to Consider When Making Your Decisions Count
Photo by Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash
Did you know that if you don’t make a conscious decision then someone else makes it for you?
Yes, you read that right. If you delay making the intentional decision for yourself then by default you give that opportunity for some else to make that decision for you. Think about all of the intentional decisions required to build your personal enterprise and lifestyle and how much you’ve let someone who doesn’t know you make a decision for you. If you’re curious to learn more about this, check out Greg McOwen’s book called Essentialism.
Letting other people make decisions for you could look like opportunities passing you by because you’re not ready, relationships changing or ending “unexpectedly”, gaining weight rapidly (not related to a health condition), or living lifestyles you don’t want to live, etc. I mention this because the decisions you don’t make add up as fast as the decisions you do make and matter just as much. Why do you think fear of mission out (FOMO) motivates people the way it does? Your actions or lack of them have the potential to open you up to new problems and/or could impact your ability to step into the power you need to build your personal enterprise.
Hopefully not…
Before we get into it… let’s get on the same page about what a choice is.
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Pro Tip: Keep this definition handy as you explore how to make choices that work for you. Think of using your choices like you’re playing a game of uno.
The Main Thing: Who are you becoming?
Let’s talk about your main thing… the destination of who you are becoming. Is it a place? A mindset? What actions are needed to get there? Whether it’s a place or a mindset that you are headed towards, you’re going to need tools to get you there and keep you there. Sometimes they are not the same tools.
Let’s get into it. On this trip to becoming you’ll need the following tools…
Direction: You begin here with making the main decision so that all the rest of your decisions follow, feed into and benefit from the momentum. Like any trip you plan, the further in advance you put plans into motion, the better the options are with the experiences and prices.
North Star: What are the principles and values that will guide you through this journey? Think of these as your internal navigation tools or safety measures that are ingrained in your way of life already. It’s meant to pilot your direction. When you use the direction and north start in your favor together they are a powerful duo.
Method: How does your current choice making providing you the best outcome? Consider things like how much time, capacity and attention you have to contribute to becoming a new version of yourself.
All three together give you the best outcome. I’ll talk about this more in another blog.
To put it into perspective, I’ve always wanted to become a successful person in business (direction) and be a peaceful person (north star) since I was a kid. I can tell when I have peace because I like the person I see in the mirror. If any decisions or circumstances caused me not to like the version in the mirror or to not be peaceful I would change my method (schedule, attention and capacity) to get me to my intended direction. I The method I rely on often is to avoid making choices that risk too much of my peace.
Pro Tip: There’s more than one way to a destination.
Now that we talked about who we are becoming, let’s look at who we have already been.
The Past Thing: Who have you been?
The decisions you’ve made as the current and past versions of you have influence on the decisions you need to make for your future. It’s called your world view. They’ve laid the ground work and show you the experience you are starting from, not from scratch. Who you are currently is soon to be your past thing. The choices you are currently making and made in the past to become this version of you are important.
To see how helpful these experiences can be ask yourself the following questions…
Experience: What are some of the experiences in your life that shaped you or that you have learned the most from?
Memories: Are there any statements or lessons that still stick in your mind?
House Rules: What rules did you have to stick to or rebel against when you were younger?
It’s easy to go straight to tangible items like schools, work and certificates. I want you to go beyond those and identify the stuff you over look like conversations with your family and hobbies, etc.
Pro Tip: The things that really make you come alive. Knowing where your attention goes tells you a lot about your decision making process.
Your value is hidden inside of you already. Your job this season is to find it.
Remember that the next decision you make is not from scratch. It’s being made from your valuable experience.
The Next Thing: What actions do you need to take now?
We’ve talked about who we are becoming and who we have been. Now it’s time to identify the actions we need to take to bridge the gap and build your personal enterprise.
Think of the road trips you’ve taken and how you’ve reverse engineered the process to plan and make the most of your experience.
Logistics: In this phase you get things like how long the journey will be, options of transportation, the pace and how many stops there will be along the way.
Necessities: What are some of the things that you need to move forward in your journey?
Prune: What are some of the things that you need to stop doing?
Once you identify these items you can use them to guide you on your way to becoming the best version of yourself.
As you build your personal enterprise from this point on, may you be more conscious of the decisions you make. My hope is that your next decision sets you apart from the rest and leads you in the direction that you seek.
Christina L. Glancy is a leading voice for helping first generation professionals use healthy communication and boundaries to navigate the growing pains on their journey to success. She is passionate about having tough conversations that lead to growth and solutions.
Her love of using intentional communication and organizing for influence stems from learning how to navigate a loud, large intersectional and mutli-racial family. She learned early how to scale conversations across personality type, insecurities, culture and hierarchies towards common goals and productive outcomes.
She is also the Founder of At First Glance Solutions where she has built more confident and decisive leaders. Stay connected with her on the social handles below.
