Indecision can be caused by several things, including: too many options overwhelming you; trying to please someone (or everyone); fear of failure and perfectionism; fear of success; and decision fatigue. As I shared last week, there is a difference between reflection or consideration and indecision. Indecision can deplete your mental wellbeing (Páez-Gallego et al., 2020).
At the root of much indecision is worry or fear. Decision fatigue, is perhaps an exception. It’s more a depletion of mental energy, leading you to take the easiest path rather than the best path. In other cases, such as fear of failure, fear of success, And people pleasing, your inability to decide centers around fear.
A path forward is asking yourself what the worse-case scenario is and then playing that out in your head. Then push back on that scenario. How likely is that really to happen? And if it did, how would you resolve it? By identifying problem-solving tactics for your worst fears, and also realizing that your worst fears are unlikely to come to fruition, you might find it easier to take action.
Mindfulness exercises can also be beneficial for improving your overall decision-making abilities. Mindfulness improves mental energy reserves and helps improve your focus. It can also improve your overall well-being and therefore your confidence. These are important in reducing all forms of indecision I listed, including decision fatigue.
The ability to make decisions is a critical life skill (Páez-Gallego et al., 2020). Indecision can prevent you from experiencing what you truly want in life. It can deplete your mental energy, lead to negative health consequences or exacerbate them. It can also lead to decision by default. This is when you spend so much time not deciding that circumstances change and eventually decide for you.
Start flexing your decision-making muscle on small decisions and work your way up to big ones. Integrate mindfulness into your daily routine, and remember to challenge your fears. Doing so will improve your life.
Reference
Páez-Gallego, J., Gallardo-López, J. A., López-Noguero, F., & Rodrigo-Moriche, M. P. (2020). Analysis of the Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being and Decision Making in Adolescent Students. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1195. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01195
