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Decisions
This past week I have been looking at furniture for my apartment that I’ll be moving into when I go back to Dallas. At first this seemed like an easy task - go online, see some things I like, narrow it down to a couple, and then choose one. How hard could it be? Apparently extremely hard!! There are thousands of places that sell furniture and they all have hundreds or thousands of options. Due to the fact that I am in Florida but shopping for Texas, most of it has to be done online and the options are truly overwhelming. I am aware that in the grand scheme of things what dresser I decide on is really insignificant, but what I want to talk about isn’t my furniture problem, but just decisions in general.
I think a lot of times people can get really worked up over making a decision. And don’t get me wrong, there are tons of decisions in life that are truly hard to make. The problem that comes in decision making is that there is almost never a clear best option. As you can probably tell from my furniture example above, I am someone who definitely gets a little too worked up over most decisions, and I don’t think I am alone in that. Most people will at some point or another find themselves at a crossroads where they simply don’t know what to do - and that can really feel debilitating. It is hard not knowing what to do.
There are tons of different ways to make decisions, and each person has their own preferences. So I’m not gonna tell you the best way to make a decision. Rather, I am going to tell you one thing specifically not to do when making a decision: don’t overthink it. Now I know you’re probably thinking, “Dan, this is the worst and most cliché advice ever,” but before you unsubscribe please hear me out. Oftentimes I think for so long about a decision that I get physically exhausted and mentally drained with what feels like no progress. My brain is so tired that it just gives up. I end up thinking for longer and longer only wearing myself out more and feeling worse about not making progress. It’s like trying to drive a car that doesn’t have any gas - no matter how hard I try that car isn’t going anywhere without gas and I’m just gonna go insane trying. So if the situation allows, don’t think for so long that you overwhelm yourself - make sure to take a break if you need it.
So that is my challenge to you this week: allow space to breathe when making decisions. Don’t get me wrong, it is really important to consider all aspects of an important decision, but just make sure you don’t wear yourself out. As stupid as it may sound, I have seriously worn myself out just trying to pick out bedroom furniture and that’s probably the least significant problem ever. So, next time you find yourself in a tough decision situation, make sure to give yourself a break every once in a while. Whether that is watching TV, going for a walk, or maybe just going to bed - a good break can give your brain the rest it needs to recharge and make progress.
Stay Motivated,
-Dan
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