Some changes come alone, but most of the truly significant transformations in our lives are the result of our decisions or, in some cases, not making decisions. In fact, many times the distance that separates us from an unsatisfactory reality and the change we want is just a decision. But we don’t always dare to take it.
However, not making a decision is a decision in itself and many times it carries incredible risks, since we put our destiny in the hands of chance, leaving circumstances or others to decide for us.
In that case, it is likely that instead of getting closer to what we want, we are getting further and further away from the necessary change. In fact, wanting a change and not making decisions to achieve it, will plunge us into a passive state that will end up blocking and wearing us down on a physical and emotional level.
The 3 risks of not making decisions
1. You don’t get what you want
If you do not decide, it is likely that you will lose the opportunity. The universe isn’t conspiring against you, but it’s not necessarily working in your favor either, which means that if you want change, you’re ultimately responsible for making it happen. When you don’t make decisions, you simply let life go by and miss opportunities that you could have used in your favor to build the life you want.
2. You get stuck in fear
Actually, what scares us is not making decisions, but making mistakes when deciding. Nobody wants to make a wrong decision, but sooner or later it will happen! The only way to overcome the fear of making decisions is precisely to decide. Of course, it is important to weigh the consequences of your decisions, particularly life-threatening ones, but you cannot let fear rule because any worthwhile change involves taking risks.
3. You waste your time
That decision may not get you directly to where you want to be, but it will at least get you moving. Not deciding means staying stuck at the same point, continually weighing pros and cons without making progress. That will waste precious time that could be spent strategizing to move forward and achieve the change you want. Many factors influence each decision, it is not always possible to analyze or anticipate all of them. Thinking too much can lead to analysis paralysis that makes you waste time, which is the most valuable thing we have in life.
Stone by stone the pyramids were built
Making decisions to change is usually an ambivalent process: something desired and feared at the same time. On the one hand, you need to do something different to get out of that state of dissatisfaction, but on the other, you are still clinging to your comfort zone and uncertainty worries you.
It is normal that when we glimpse some uncertainty on the horizon, we avoid deciding. We hope that more information will emerge that will give us confidence to choose. We want to be sure that the choice we are about to make is the correct one. We believe that the weather will clear the fog bringing a clearer sky.
Sometimes it’s worth the wait. Of course. But it is highly unlikely that time will clear up all the unknowns because there will always be unknowns and possibilities beyond our control. Every decision involves a dose of risk and another of uncertainty. If we avoid making decisions for fear of being wrong, fate will choose for us, leading us down paths that are probably not what we would like.
We must remember that not deciding is already a decision in itself. And often that decision means staying tied to an unsatisfying, toxic and even harmful reality for us, simply because we are afraid to take the next step. That truth makes us uncomfortable because it means that we choose to stay at a point on the road where we are not comfortable, because we lack the courage to go for what we want.
Making decisions is not easy. But the more you stretch it out, the more space you’ll leave for entropy or other people to decide for you. It is not necessary to jump into the void without a parachute, but we must start taking one step at a time.
It will help you to remember that the pyramids were made of “insignificant” rocks, but when they were put together they gave life to a majestic work for generations to come. Step by step, the decisions you make every day will help get you where you want to be in the future.
Our lives are shaped by the countless decisions we make – or don’t make – on a daily basis. Every action implies a decision not to do something else. Each small decision put into practice has been shaping our life, leading us to the point where we are. If you want a change, you will have to keep making those decisions that will bring you closer to your new goal.
When you feel lost or afraid, remember that the journey (the decisions you make at each step) becomes the means to value what you want and correct the course if necessary. You can’t control everything, but you can stack the odds in your favor to bring about the change you want.
