Decision-making is a part of life. It helps shape, define, refine and bring the best out of human beings. It helps to strike a balance in one’s life, especially in the pursuit of one’s fortune.
It could connote a resolution, a new feat in one’s profession, an enviable innovation, an idea entirely different from the usual. It also involves careful thought about risks and other forms of uncertainty.
“Making decisions is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty, devotion and ultimately reinforces humility.” –Eric Zorn
Once a decision is made, a new sense of commitment begins. This commitment drives you through the ups and downs of the entire process until your worth or goal is achieved.
Before setting goals or making decisions, one has to analyze the strength and weakness of his/her environment. Environment affects the decision-making process to a large extent. It’s a major factor that determines the success and failure ratios of your decisions.
Psychologically, making a new decision creates a change in our mind set. We look back on past events, and our thoughts drift to what could have been or what we ought to have done better. Making a new decision marks the revival and beginning either for or against fate. That is why it’s always very important to see both sides of the coin before making decisions to avoid stories that are centered on “failure.”
It’s high time you looked at the changes you would like to make in your life and spot out possible ways to accomplish them. A decision is like a promise to yourself to improve your life for a better future.
Wanting to make a resolution is good, but keeping to it is better. The fact that some people keep making decisions year after year, even when they do not, or cannot, always follow through on them indicates they have hope and a certain level of belief in their ability to facilitate change, becoming more of who they truly want to be.
Unfortunately for some persons, the results of their decisions take on an all too familiar pattern. Some people find it difficult to hold onto their decision-talk and cannot hold on for even a year.
Some might follow this pattern: The first day of the year kicks off. You’re full of determination to follow through on your set goals. Excited and invigorated enough, you thought that this year would be entirely different from the last. February comes up. The majority of you have abandoned your goals altogether.
Most decisions evolve around becoming a better person. But unfortunately, more and more decisions end up unmet. You may ask why people continue to make decisions year after year regardless of the fact that less than half of them actually follow through on them.
For some, it is a matter of tradition. For others, it’s the pizazz of starting from scratch. Generally, decisions offer a fresh start and a clean slate to work on or examine all of our failures.
So, why do people fail in following through with their decisions and resolutions even though they would make life more fulfilling?
Although many truly desire to live by their decision, they lack the willpower, or the belief in their ability to actually reach the desired change they want. “Just wanting it”, as we all know, is never enough.
Another common cause is lack of commitment. Many people have not truly given their decisions or goals thorough thought and as a result, are ill-equipped to develop and maintain the necessary commitment to succeed. Making a goal too hard to accomplish is also doomed to failure, as one quickly loses interest and the necessary motivation.
Keep the decision-making process within the boundaries of your strength. Inasmuch as decision-making is necessary for personal development, don’t be too harsh on yourself when setting your goals or when they fall by the wayside.
You may feel defeated before even getting started. People who think through what it is they really want to change in their lives and effectively plan for it have a much better chance of achieving their goals.
Furthermore, making a good decision sets forth a personal challenge, a positive challenge. By making well-conceived resolutions, you are able to explore your potential, continue to grow as an individual and soar towards a productive member of society.
Decisions are like new years’ resolutions. They oblige you with the responsibility to take stock of where you are and how you can improve.
Before you embark on the voyage of decision-making, ask yourself these questions to help reflect and evaluate your life more better:
- Have I been the kind of person I want to be?
- Is there an area in my life that I would like to work on?
- Is there something I have dreamed of doing to improve myself on?
Making resolutions signify the desire to take a step towards positive change. Even if you’re unsuccessful in implementing all the changes you hoped for, actually making a resolution will at least help you stay focused and move a few steps forward.
As far as I am concerned, it’s a heck of a lot better than just doing nothing.
Here is the bottom line: folks who make decisions to/for change are five times more likely to achieve those changes than their counterparts who want to change but never actually resolve to do so.
Whatever decision it is you want to make, whether it’s a decision to be the best graduating student in your department or decisions to reach the next level or to be renown in your field of endeavor. Whatever you decide to do in order to make meaning out of yourself, remember to keep it simple. Believe in yourself, make necessary commitments and do the best you can to accomplish your goals.
You may be surprised, and impressed at what a difference it can make in your life and the lives of those around you.
