By Eric Sudler, M.S.
So here we are again, at the proverbial crossroads looking down each path into the unknown. Any road you pick conjures up feelings of fear, doubt, and anxiety. This is usually the point at which the “what ifs” creep in and do their job, further obfuscating any rational decision you’d hoped to make. Among all of the unknowns, there is still one known feeling you can count on: that familiar feeling of being in unfamiliar territory.
We’ve all had to make big decisions in life. Many of which required a leap of faith on our behalf. For some, taking a chance proves to be a much more difficult process than for others. It seems that some people demand that they have as much information as possible before making a decision. I have nothing against informed decisions. However, seeking information to guide a decision or behavior can quickly and seamlessly cross over into irrational territory if you’re not careful.
On the continuum of amount of information needed to make a decision, everybody falls into different areas. Some can make a decision or choose a path based on little to no information. Others seek as much information as possible. Of course this poses a problem as there tends to be copious amounts of information one can gain in every scenario. What results from the latter category is procrastinating while seeking a goal that will never be reached: knowing everything. It’s one of the greatest illusions we can perform. The illusion that we are actually working towards something when there is no progress being made.
Finally, one will say, “I just can’t make up my mind, so I [didn’t/won’t] do anything! I’m no good when it comes to making decisions.”
To which I always reply, “Choosing to not make a decision is a decision. So clearly you possess the decision making faculties to choose an action.”
No matter what path you choose to go down, there will always be some “what ifs” about what could have been. It’s inevitable. However, the possibilities of what could have happened are endless. Therefore, attempting to consider all the possible outcomes of a decision is a prescription for madness.
You’ve made many decisions in your life. Independent of whether they are monumental life choices or what toppings to get on your pizza, the principle remains the same. Gathering data is fine, but soon you will reach a point of diminishing returns where it’s time to just pick something.
You’ve been here before no matter how unfamiliar the territory may seem. Know that no one ever chooses “correctly” all the time and that you have shown yourself and everyone else that you are strong enough to handle any consequence associated with whatever you choose. You’ve probably successfully navigated through rougher waters in your life. You can handle whatever life throws at you. We are never truly tasked with more than we can handle. Therefore, when you are at that seemingly unfamiliar point, just know that it is more familiar than you think.