Will you look back on life and say, "I wish I had," or "I'm glad I did"?" - Zig Ziglar
Indecision is the inability of a person to decide; the state of being doubtful and wavering of mind. it inhibits a person's ability to live a full and active life by hindering the making of choices, such as what to do, how to go about what to do, what to avoid, etc.
indecision may be the result of a lack of confidence in your ability to make sound choices, or to follow through on carrying out decisions, a fear of failure, being too laid-back (or too slothful) to do all but the simplest tasks, or the consequence of genuinely being unable to handle tasks due to insufficient knowledge, skill, or resources.
Indecisiveness can inconveniently hinder individuals in the taking full and active part in a society, it incapacitates a person from making simple day to day choices like what to wear, where to go, what to buy. Indecision can be related to having the fear of failure, we all at some time In our lives been punished or being scold upon for failing or making the wrong turn, by a parent, teacher or friend, thus some of us found it much easier to hide into this shell called “playing neutral”, procrastinate or by saying do nothing unless there’s certainty of victory, becoming a self-perpetuating victim of circumstances. people concerned tend to rely mostly on the opinions of others which he/she considers more comforting and reliable, unaware that this planted seed of not taking chances is growing and has developed roots deep inside our lives such that indecisiveness has become a way of life, making it difficult for us to break free from these fruits of indecision, therefore developing fearfulness, low self-esteem, poor self-image and a sense of lack of control in, and purposelessness of, life.
It is a fact that when you do not make decisions you would not succeed in any serious undertaking, and it is my profound joy and privilege to guide you through these steps of tackling indecisiveness through foresight, planning, building confidence and taking action.
STEPS
· Anticipation and Foresight.
· Analysis
· Build confidence
· Taking Action/execute
ANTICIPATION & FORESIGHT
As defined by the dictionary, to anticipate is to;
EXPECT SOMETHING: TO THINK OR BE FAIRLY SURE THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN
LOOK FORWARD TO SOMETHING: to feel excited, hopeful, or eager about something that is going to happen
act beforehand to address something imminent: to imagine or consider something before it happens and make any necessary preparations or changes (Microsoft® Encarta® 2009)
To anticipate is to expect, look forward to, or act beforehand to prevent or address something. A student who prepares for a class in advance or beforehand finds it much easier to comprehend the lesson/lecture while being taught the same topic in the mist of his/her peers, an incidence was During my university days, before my examinations, I would try to conjecture or predict the examination questions, based on my knowledge of the subject, previous tests and examinations, and the lecturer's methods of teaching and questioning. I was quite successful in this, and I excelled and stood out in my class. I wasn't the brightest person in my class, but my anticipatory techniques helped me greatly, and I constantly improved on them, learning from my failures, and consolidating on successes. In decision-making, anticipation gives you leverage over an opponent or situation that must be faced. This power gives you the ability to prepare your mind, make your necessary assessments on the situation requiring your decision, allowing you to make choices confidently, giving you the glory and high self-esteem you deserve as a person.
ANALYSIS
Analysis does not set out to make pathological reaction impossible, but to give the patients ego, freedom to decide one way or the other- Sigmund Freud.
Analysis entails in this context, having a microscopic view of your goal in order to discover essential features or for deeper understanding. To examine, to assess, or to break into constituent parts for study.
It is the study done, in order to find out what to do.
Analysis in tackling indecisiveness forms an integral process when we identify a goal, carefully examine and study this goal, enabling us carry out or achieve it in the best of means.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin
Some of the best steps I recommend for effective strategizing before making critical decisions is to ask yourself four questions, according to what Dr. Ben. Carson calls a Best/Worst Analysis (B/WA):
THE BEST/WORST ASSESSMENT
· What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
· What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
· What is the best thing that can happen if I don't do it?
· What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't do it?
Following these assessments, you are not just enabling yourself make decisions but also yet, enabling yourself make the best of decision after critically analyzing a situation using the best/worst risk analysis. This might be a slow process to embrace initially as from my experience but with consistency in usage your brain begins to quickly analyze your predicaments consciously and unconsciously.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE:
“If you haven't confidence in yourself, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started. ” ― Marcus Garvey
It is only natural that all human beings at some point experience fear, but it is the ways we handle or confront our fear will we either label ourselves as courageous, confident or cowards. Fear is that emotion that triggers your anxiety in the anticipation or presence of danger which tells you to halt or runaway, while confidence is a self-assurance or belief in one’s ability to succeed, the inner voice in you that encourages you to keep moving forward, and confront your flaws, therefore defining your strength. Suppose for instance we all submit to our little fears and staying in our comfort zones for fear of failure, I believe we as a nation wouldn’t have experienced the joys of technology, inventions, wild life studies and great social lives. Life as we know it would have been very boring and meaningless. Nevertheless most of the greatest achievers and successful people whose footprints remain forever in the sands of time as conquerors did what they had to do irrespective of the criticisms, negativity, their failures, unbelief and the lack of foresight from other people. The likes of Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. They dint govern their lives based on what their critics said.
What you think of me is none of my business, what is most important is what i think about myself- Robert Kiyosaki
QUICK STEPS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE
IMPROVE YOUR SELF-IMAGE: by simply writing down your traits on paper, your strengths, things you’d want to accomplish, and improve about yourself, put them on paper you can look into the mirror and recite them daily, with new enthusiasm and belief as u awake each morning before embarking upon a task or activity, this will help change your perception about yourself and everything around you. Example
*my name is ………………..
*I am a gorgeous, or pretty or handsome person
*I am bold, confident and a positive individual.
*I am a source of attraction
*I am fun to be with
*I can achieve anything I set my mind to
*I am capable, intelligent, smart etc.
STATE YOUR GOALS, RECITE THEM DAILY WITH CONVICTION.
KNOW YOURSELF: As Socrates puts it ‘know thyself’. When you know, understand who you are and know what you want out of life anyone who tells you contrary would have less impact on you than it used to.
FACE YOUR FEARS:
We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot. -Eleanor Roosevelt
List out your insecurities, things that embarrass you or about yourself, your regrets etc. challenge yourself to daily do tasks that’ll help you come in contact with these fears / flaws with a more positive attitude towards surpassing them.
ACCEPT AND LOVE YOURSELF FOR WHO YOU ARE.
Never bend your head, always hold it high ,look at the world straight in the face – Helen Keller
TALK TO YOUR FRIENDs/ LOVED ONES: Talk about your insecurities, offload the burdens you carry alone, share your problems with friends, it helps.
Don’t worry about anything, instead tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done’-Philippians 4: 6-7.
SHOW GRATITUDE AND BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE. No two individuals are the same; you have gifts, friends, family, that make you stand out from others, look around you.
PRAY:
But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is like an unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect anything from the lord. They can’t make up their minds, they weaver back and front in everything they do. -James1: 6-9
TAKE ACTION
It’s not what you know, but what you do with what you know - unknown
Sylvester Stallone gained worldwide fame with his starring role in the smash hit Rocky (1976). On March 24, 1975, Stallone saw the Muhammad Ali–Chuck Wepner fight, which inspired the foundation idea of Rocky. That night Stallone went home, and after three days, 20 straight hours, he had written the script for Rocky. After that, he tried to sell the script with the intention of playing the lead role. Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler in particular liked the script. Stallone was offered increasingly larger fees to sell the script and allow a different actor to star in the film, but he turned the offers down until the studio agreed to let Stallone himself play the role Rocky was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay nominations for Stallone. The film went on to win the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Film Editing.( From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 2012) .
Stallone’s success wouldn’t have been feasible if he only sat home ate doughnuts and watched more T.V and made wishes, he took action with conviction to win. There are no two ways about it; all our plans, analysis, goals, and to-do activities are eventually useless if you spend more than necessary time thinking than picking yourself up and getting in to action. So it’s high time you GET UP, stop starring life from your window, or standing on the sidelines wishing, criticizing and complaining, go ahead take the chance and ACT.
Action breeds confidence and courage, if you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it, go and get busy- Dale Carnegie
Well done is better than well said- Benjamin Franklin
A lion doesn’t ask for his dinner, he hunts ( he takes action), the biggest challenge now remains,
What can you do to cross the barrier between merely thinking about what you want and actually making it happen? in the Doing process its pertinent to;
Get up,
Stay Focused on the goal,
Eliminate procrastination,
Carry a mental picture of succeeding,
Take action, and
Victory is yours.
An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory-Friedrich Engels
In conclusion I would say, in this journey we’ve taken in tacking one of our biggest life’s obstructs, indecision; this is a fun process and my advice is for us to stay relaxed, take a minute to close your eyes clear your head, count to 10 or 20 or take 60secs when u feel you’re put in a corner, be in a state of calmness before making crucial decisions.
The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action- Confucius
What are your best steps in tacking indecision?
If you like this article please share with friends, leave comments, or email addresses I could contact you. Thanks.
Do you procrastinate on food when you’re hungry?
REFERENCES:
Marcus Garvey, Bob Blaisdell (Editor), Dover Thrift Editions Selected Writings and Speeches, Published January 11th 2005 by Dover Publications.
Dr. Ben Carson M.D, Great Risks Bring Greater Success, The 700 Club interview, CBN.com, retrieved 15th May, 2012.
Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living (1960) p. 29 - 30
Sylvester Stallone, Success with Rocky( 1976) , Retrieved from Wikipedia the free encyclopedia March 2012
Anticipate, retrieved from the dictionary Microsoft® Encarta® 2009
Holy Bible, Gift and Award Edition 1997, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/confidence_2.html#zCqjpto55mzIvH4q.99
Comments