Options » thinking & analysis » decision » action » outcome.

The more options we have, the more time we spend thinking and analyzing. Add importance to the mix, and the more important a decision is, the more time we’re likely to spend thinking about what option to choose.

It can turn into a never-ending cycle of thinking and analyzing to the point of paralyses. And we struggle and feel stuck. We’re not going anywhere, and we’re no closer to a conclusion.

This is what happened to me when I started viewing all the options to move this site to another platform. I felt completely overwhelmed and disheartened by the choices and complexity involved. After more than a month of thinking and rethinking about my options, I stopped … and

I decided to go ahead and make a decision—good or bad, right or wrong, it’s a done deal. I’m choosing a platform (Jekyll) that’s mostly used by programmers and technology savvy bloggers (skills I sorely lack). It will be a challenge; there will be limitations and compromises, and I’m okay with that. Now I feel better about the change.

There is truly power and peace in just making a decision.

The power of making a decision

The power can be noticed the moment we stick to our guts and move forward with the decision we made. Consider the following benefits.

Focused attention on one option

Instead of diluting our energy and attention looking into numerous choices, we can now work with the one we chose. Focused effort is more effective in achieving our goal, or changing course when needed.

Learning by doing

We move from thinking to doing, and all the learning that comes with it. We do, we make mistakes, we learn, and we repeat. This learning is invaluable, not only for this decision, but for our life in general.

Confidence and trust

When we take a chance, we become more accustomed to taking risks. We realize that we’ll be okay, no matter what the outcome is. We feel more confident in our abilities, and trust that we have what it takes to move forward with any choice we make.

The other part, which in my view is more important, but less obvious is:

The peace of making a decision

Peace is the absence of un-peaceful feelings like worry, doubt, or struggle. This peace can be felt as a calm state of mind.

Ease

When we make a decision, we feel at ease because we’re no longer thinking and struggling with options and alternatives. It’s action time. We no longer feel stuck.

Surrender

Making a decision tells the universe that we took this particular chance and we’re rolling with it. We’re okay with whatever comes up as we work with our choice. In other words, we accept the risks and rewards that come with the decision. We do our part, and surrender the rest to life.

Feeling at peace with one decision will probably spill over into other areas of life. And this encourages making more decisions.

Moving in a direction we deliberately choose can have a profound effect. We become calm deciders, willing learners, and more doers than thinkers.

We will make mistakes; there is no doubt about it. But that’s part of the learning and evolving into more of who we are.

This article is shorter than average. There isn’t really a magical formula, or a complex process, that will help us make the right choice. The only thing we have is our own ability to make a decision after considering the options we have. We then work with it till we find out if it’s the right one, or not.

If you’ve been struggling with an issue and feel undecided, I hope you take a chance and bet on your ability to decide and work with your choice. Give yourself some time to consider your options, and then pick the one that feels best. Start, make mistakes, stick to it, learn, and keep going, till you know what to do next.

I wish you the best with every decision you make.