One of the key pieces to your success in life, in any area, is what kind of a decision maker you are. Napoleon Hill said, “Successful people make decisions quickly and change them very slowly. Unsuccessful people make decisions very slowly, and change them often and quickly.” The ability to make sound decisions affects every area of your life.
Decision-making is not taught in school. Too often the opinions of others influences the decisions made. Opinions often destroy ones self-confidence, perhaps unintentionally, by ignorant people in the form of ridicule or humor. When the self confidence is weakened, fear replaces it and decision-making becomes very slow and difficult. The opposite of decision is procrastination. A bad decision is often better than no decision. A bad decision can be changed. But procrastination stops all progress or movement. Decision-making is a skill that can be learned and must be learned if one wants to be successful at whatever they want to do in life. When you become proficient at making decisions, conflict and confusion are eliminated. Decision-making brings order to the mind. This will also eliminate procrastination and allow one to regain lost confidence. But it will take work and persistence to develop the skill of decision-making. To become good at making decisions, you first build a mental image of exactly how you want to live. And you start right there by deciding to hold on to that image. Make the image very clear and don’t give any thought to how you will do it. Charge your decision with enthusiasm, getting emotionally involved with your decision of how you want to live. Do not participate in any negative discussions or negative energy pertaining to your decision. Let one of your first decisions to be to keep a closed mouth about it. Don’t invite others opinions. Show by example, and not by talking, what you’re doing. Protect your idea. Good decision makers keep their ears and eyes open and say little. Decision makers have a very strong self-image, a high self-esteem. These too can be developed along with the skill of making decisions. Decision makers are confident and not afraid to make a mistake, and they never submit to failure. They will figure out another way, and will keep trying until they succeed. Thoughts control every decision made and you have the ability to control 100 percent of your thoughts. Decision makers are great thinkers and they know decision-making is unavoidable. If you need to improve you decision-making skill, start practicing with small decisions. Everyday we all make a multitude of decisions. What shall I eat? What will I wear? Which route will I drive today? What time will I go to bed? And on and on. Many of these are just habits but is it what you really want? Decide to do something different and work your way up to bigger decisions about how you want to live your life, what do you really want, where do you want to live? Once you’ve made the decision, you will find all that you need to achieve what you have decided on, the resources, time, people, whatever it is, will be there, just when you need them. The cardinal principle of decision-making is this: Decide right where you are with whatever you’ve got. Nothing happens until a decision is made. Decide right now! Don’t delay any longer.
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