Making Decisions - Why do People Procrastinate

From the moment you start out in the morning, everything that you do begins with making decisions. Your daily decisions however, are mostly made subconsciously.

Only when something out of the norm requires your attention do you pause to look at the choices that you have or are given.

Most indecisive people live dissatisfied lives. They feel unfulfilled. They dislike their jobs, stay in relationships that they hate and are unhappy with their circumstances. Why do these people procrastinate instead of just deciding to take new actions and gain control over their lives?

The reason is because the vast majority of people are afraid of the uncertainties from the results of making decisions. They are afraid that they make the wrong choice and come to the wrong conclusion. They doubt themselves, feel insecure and uneasy. They fear that other people will not approve and they will lose their pride, self confidence and self esteem.

Making decisions require courage. The result in your life right now is the accumulation of the numerous bad and good selections you have made plus the outcome of your procrastinations and indecisions.

No matter what your role in life is, you are posed with problems and choices to make each day. You either face or avoid them. If you exercise your power in decision making, you will learn and experience personal change and growth even if you make the wrong judgments.

Whatever you do in life, the first thing you need to do is define what it is that you want to achieve or solve. In the making decision process you do the same. Write it down on paper. It gives you clarity.

If you don't define and make it clear, you may end up overlooking the real problem or identifying it wrongly. And you will tend to make the decision swiftly and easily based on your past solutions even though it has not worked.

Look at it from a different point of view. Look at it as an observer and see it as though it is happening to someone else. What would your reaction be?

When you see the problem differently you will create a different meaning and your experience will change. And you will create more choices when you see things from a different perspective.

You need information to make new decisions. And asking the right questions gives you ideas and solutions. Ask yourself and others for views and that will spark your mind for creative solutions. Word your questions differently to further stimulate your mind.

If you rely on your limited list of choices based on the familiar and the most recent events, you are limited in your possibilities of creating new solutions.

Combine all your information and ideas. Consider the risks involved and the possible gains. Look at the pro and cons. What are the drawbacks? With more alternatives, you will have more freedom to achieve a desirable outcome.

Ask the "what if", "so what if", "why not", "why not now" and "why not I" questions to further stimulate your thinking process and challenge your fears and limiting beliefs.

Knowing your moral standards will help you in making decisions without thinking of immediate gratification or relying on your emotions. Your values on what you believe in and what you stand for will guide your decision making process.

It's highly recommended that you try to spend time alone and contemplate when you have an issue to resolve. Your inner guidance will lead you to the right decision. If you are still unsure and see several desirable options, trust your intuition or gut feeling.

Don't keep thinking about it and procrastinate further. Toughen yourself mentally and remove any remaining doubts and uncertainties and make the decision.

Of course there is a risk of making mistakes or making a wrong or bad decision but you can rectify the situation and correct your course. We have been told many times that a wrong decision is better than not making any.

The countless decisions that you make through your journey in life will enhance your personal growth. This habit that you develop is important to your success and your mental health. It gives you a peace of mind knowing that you have control over your own life. Having control gives you the power to commit to your own rules and also having the flexibility to make corrective actions.

What do you think?

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