Are you having a hard time making decisions? Often, we stress about decision making because we’re afraid of making the wrong choice. We worry about the negative consequences or potential missed opportunities. It can be fear of messing things up and regretting decisions later.
When we face complex decisions or several options, it can be so confusing and stressful. “How am I supposed to figure this out? What if I make the wrong move?”
Time pressure is another stress factor. When there are deadlines or time-sensitive consequences involved, the stress levels skyrocket. It becomes a race, and you are trying to make a decision before it’s too late.
Every day we make around 270 decisions on food alone! Try to balance that we work, life, family, friends, working out? Even writing that gives me moments of stress, I have to admit.
Making a decision means giving up something else, it is a trade-off. We worry about regretting our choice or missing out on the benefits of the other options.
On top of that everyone around you has an opinion. Many have an expectation, and it’s hard to balance that with what we want. All these factors can also lead to procrastination.
As always, recognising the stress and finding ways to manage it can make a huge difference. Taking breaks, seeking advice, or giving yourself a moment to breathe can help.
How leadership coaching helps making decisions
A leadership coach can also act as your thinking partner. It will help you be more effective when you’re having a hard time making decisions.
Why is that? A coach does not know your background, your job or anything better than you do. A coach also does not need to be an expert in your area of expertise. How could they?
But by going back and forth with questions, answers and reflections, you can benefit from tapping into a more creative area of your brain. This will help you think about outcomes more effectively. You can weigh the good and the bad against each other without being trapped in a problem thinking situation.
A good coach challenges your ideas and thoughts – in a positive way. They don’t criticise what you come up with but will make you think twice before you go down a specific route. The goal is to make you feel empowered, to maybe even give you enthusiasm but for sure the confidence that whatever decision you are going to make, it will be the right one.
With a good leadership coach you can also elaborate on potential consequences and see how these influence your thinking or how they make you hesitate.
The coach is your thinking partner, someone to support you reach your goal. Not someone who knows things better than you do. Keep that in mind.
Ready to go? Let’s talk.
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