According to studies, the average human makes about 617 decisions a day. This equals to over 4,300 decisions in a week and almost 225,000 in a year. For the average business owner- multiply that by three.
Becoming a good decision maker can help you tremendously in business and life. Highly confident people make decisions quickly and stick to them rather than changing their minds or spending hours being indecisive.
If decision making doesn’t come naturally to you, do not worry, it is a skill which can be easily developed over time. Here are a few tips to help you:
#1 – Start small and do it daily. Making small daily decisions will give you plenty of practice and help you accomplish the bigger goal. Small decisions- such as what food to eat at a restaurant or which shoes to wear are not to be underestimated. A great way to start is the next time you’re eating out, look at the menu and decide what you’d like to eat. Then put the menu down. Don’t look at the menu longer, don’t ask your friends what they’re ordering and don’t change your mind. Make your decision on your own, based on what you want and then stick to it.
Small steps like this can be empowering and help you to tackle the bigger decisions to come in the future.
#2 – Approach decisions logically. Many of us tend to make emotion-based decisions rather than logical ones. In business this can spell disaster. A good way to approach decisions in a logical manner is to write down a list of pros and cons.
Simply grab a sheet of paper and label one side pros and one side cons. Then list all the good and bad points of your choice. Logically think through your lists and then make your decision. This way you can leave emotions out of the equation and concentrate purely on the facts.
#3 – Cut yourself some slack. Making decisions is a skill which can be cultivated but even the most skilled professionals don’t always make the right choices. Realize that making decisions effectively takes confidence and is a great first step, but your decisions may not always be the right decisions. If you happen to make the wrong decision, give yourself a break and take comfort in the fact that you thought out your decision clearly and logically and made the best choice possible at the time. Be confident in your skill and your process and learn from any mistakes.
Becoming a quality decision maker takes time and practice. However, it’s a worthwhile skill to develop. Making decisions regularly may help build your confidence level and also help people know where they stand with you – two great entrepreneurial qualities.
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