Defeat Indecision For Good With These 7 Simple Tactics

Read time: 2 minutes

In 99% of situations, the self-imposed agony of an unmade decision is far greater than the consequences of a poorly made one.

Why?

• Because most decisions can be reversed

• Because we gain new data from taking action

• Because shorter cycle time is a competitive advantage

We can know this intellectually.

And yet, we wait. Ponder. Analyze. Triangulate. Debate.

The virtue of these steps quickly devolves into the vice of procrastination.

But no more.

Here are 7 simple tactics I’ve used to beat indecision:

1. Burn the Boats

Sail to an island and burn your ship upon landing. Guess what you'll do?

Figure it out.

How can you irreversibly commit?

• Commit publicly?

• Write the check?

• Set the date?

Remarkable stories of human ingenuity start this way.

2. Empty the Buckets

Write down every factor swimming in your head.

• Bucket them into categories.

• Rank the buckets in importance.

• Eliminate all buckets but the Top 3.

Which direction do the remaining three favor?

We often let details distract from the obvious direction.

3. Flip a Coin

Leave the decision to pure chance?

Not exactly.

Flip it, and while that coin turns, listen to the quiet voice in your heart:

Are you rooting for heads or tails?

That's your answer.

4. Sell Nothing

Many hard decisions are rooted in fear of committing capital:

Your money, reputation, or time.

So sell the concept. Then build the product:

• Get 25 pre-orders before building your course.

• Write your newsletter after 1,000 enroll.

• Land the client, then hire the team.

Find free ways to buy down fear.

5. Find a Partner

Journeys can be lonely, so have someone ride shotgun.

Direct partner:

• They're in it with you.

• More input, more confidence.

Parallel partner:

• They’re at a similar point on a similar path.

• Travel buddy & accountability partner.

6. Commit to Today

Our brains aren't programmed for 10-year thinking. They want you to survive today. So don't fight it.

Find that step you can take today and take it.

Show your lizard brain that you'll be ok.

Take that step again tomorrow.

7. Price Your Indecision

We're wired to worry: Not Losing >> Winning.

See also: Loss Aversion.

But you're only pricing one side of the equation: the decision.

So balance your psychic books and cost out NOT deciding:

• Self-esteem

• Wasted cycles

• Opportunity costs

Be deliberate, but be balanced.

Don’t Just Consume. Commit!

Which tactic will you use to get unstuck?

• Put a 30-minute block in your calendar.

• Write it down on your to-do list.

• Hit reply and tell me.

This is a playbook. It’s only valuable if you run the play.

And no matter which you pick, remember:

Deciding is not doing.

We achieve results through action, not aspiration.

PS - I wrote a piece a while back on improving the quality of your decisions.

Podcast Appearance

Despite my oddly fitted baseball cap, my appearance on Protect the Hustle was one of my favorite pods of 2023.

We talked about how to...

• The Power of “And”

• Design around limitations

• The value in codifying your culture

Find it on Spotify, Apple, or your favorite platform.

What’s Your Vote For Next Week’s Playbook?

Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave