Did you know that indecision is one of the leading causes of dream death? Would you like to know why? It is because making a decision is the step that precedes taking action. So if you never decide, then you never take action. If you never take action, your dreams can begin to die slowly.
Many of us have had big dreams of how we wanted our lives to turn out. Somehow, these dreams slowly disappeared due to poor timing, distractions, and other circumstances we had no idea were coming our way.
Once we realize what has happened over the years, we can DECIDE to get back on track and pursue those dreams again. You should never stop dreaming and strive to turn these dreams into reality. Of course, it’s a challenge, and waiting and believing can also be exhausting. But this doesn’t mean you should give up and throw in the towel.
12 Causes of Indeciveness:
Many causes of Indecisiveness go undetected. Learning to make good decisions is a life skill that you can learn, practice, and improve. If you struggle to make decisions, consider exploring a few causes of your Indecisiveness. Here are twelve reasons for you to consider:
- You Are Overthinking
Overthinking is one of the most common reasons for Indecisiveness. Overthinking is sinister because it can be disguised as planning or brainstorming. But the truth is it is just overthinking. Instead of falling into the overthinking trap, try giving yourself a deadline to choose. Set time limits on research, planning and brainstorming, and decision-making.
- You Have Too Many Options
For some choices, there are too many options for you to choose from. You keep weighing all the possibilities without narrowing them down. Create better criteria to finalize your decisions.
- You Are Listening to Many Voices
There will always be well-meaning people in your life who are more than willing to share advice and opinions. Don’t get me wrong. We need people in our lives to help us on our journey. But too many voices can lead to confusion and inaction, especially when the advice you get from one person contradicts the advice you can get from another.
It’s great to get direction for specific projects, especially if the view is expert, such as contracting CPA services or a professional coach to help you process a particular transition or a life goal.
- You Feel Guilty
When you prioritize yourself to reach your goals, some people will push back against you. It can cause you to feel guilty. The problem is guilt never helps you make good decisions; it tends to lead to more indecision.
- You Don’t Trust Your Inner Voice
We all have an inner voice trying to guide us in our decision-making. You have to learn how to trust it. You may know deep down inside what you want to do. However, you may need to learn more precisely how to do it.
You know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Learn how to listen to your internal thoughts based on your knowledge. Make the decision based on that knowledge. As you begin to take action, the path will become more apparent, usually not before. For example, you may not know how to get the “body of your dreams.” But you can lace up your sneakers and walk around the block. Trust your inner voice and take the first step, no matter how small it seems.
- You are a Perfectionist
Perfection does not exist. Therefore, it’s a fool’s game to keep trying to chase it. Perfection-seeking can result in no action being taken at all on your goals because it’s impossible.
- You Lack Self-Confidence
If you need more confidence in your choices, it may be due to a lack of education or information. In that case, educate yourself to make sound decisions; your confidence level will grow as you make good choices. Better choices lead to better actions. Better actions lead to even more confidence.
- You are Afraid of Failure
If you fear making the wrong choice, ask yourself whether this will matter to anyone in 100 years. In other words, what is the worst that could happen? If you’re not changing the fabric of society with your decision, it isn’t going to matter that much. However, if it does matter that much, seeking expert advice may be necessary. Then, seek the specialist’s advice and make the proper decision so that you can move forward.
- You Lost Sight of Your Vision
When you suffer from decision fatigue, losing sight of the bigger picture becomes easy. When you are plagued by overthinking, too many options, information overload, and too many voices, you need to hit the pause button and catch up on your long-term goals.
If you need more clarification about your main goals, matching current choices with the right actions can be challenging. Clarify your vision and long-term objectives, and your options will become easier. Make a habit of revisiting your vision and goals regularly to stay on track. Write them down and post them on your wall if need be. Keep it visible.
- You are Overwhelmed by Information
Information Overload is a crucial contributor to getting stuck in life. We are bombarded with so much information daily that it can lead to feeling paralyzed. We can quickly feel lost and shut down. Instead, revisit your vision of what you are trying to accomplish and focus on a few areas at a time. Before you know it, you will be out of the forrest and on the path again.
- You Had an Overbearing Parent
Ut oh. Sometimes, the most well-intentioned parent can be too much for the child. An overbearing parent constantly makes all the decisions for the child and causes the child not to have any decision-making skills as an adult. You may find yourself second-guessing everything from what vegetables to eat to what college courses to take. Overbearing parents do not allow their children to make decisions independently. These children usually grow up looking for someone else to make decisions for them or not deciding at all.
- You may Have a Mental Disorder.
Suppose you are pathologically plagued with stress and anxiety over making even the most minor decisions. You may have an undiagnosed disorder known as aboulomania. Aboulomania is a mental disorder in which the patient displays pathological Indecisiveness.
Indecisiveness can be the symptom of many other mental health disorders, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, chronic stress, childhood trauma, and more.
If this article is hitting you hard, you may need the help of a mental health professional to move forward in your daily life.
Ways To Conquer Indecisiveness
Here is a short list of solutions for Indecisiveness:
- Stop Overthinking
- Narrow down your options
- Choose one or two people to consult
- Drop the guilt (it isn’t real)
- Trust your gut
- Ditch perfectionism
- Build your confidence (it is a skill, and you can learn it).
- Understand that “failing” doesn’t make you a failure.
- Review your vision and long-term goals at least weekly.
- Stop second-guessing your “final” decision.
Final thoughts
Making decisions can be challenging for everyone from time to time. As you can see, it can be caused by many factors, from early parental control and incorrect information to mental illness. We only covered a few. Although it is essential to shed light on the root causes of your Indecisiveness, remember that you may or may not struggle with each of these causes. Try to narrow down which of these issues may be causing your problem and start there. Don’t let indecision stand in the way of your dreams because they do matter.
Be well + prosper,
Elaine xx