Hack of decision making
I was afraid of making a few key decisions in my life.
I was afraid to get pregnant, because I was concerned about losing my freedom (still am).
What if I can’t go to 1-month retreats anymore?
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What if my work had to slow down?
I was afraid to leave my corporate job, because I was concerned about losing financial stability and comfort.
What if I can’t earn as much as I used to?
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What about the company benefits?
I was greedy.
I wanted the best of many worlds and that kept me stuck in analysis paralysis.
By the way, how do you know which is the absolute best choice?
I often struggled with pros & cons lists. They aren't helpful most of the time.
I have learned that every decision you make will reward you in some ways.
And, every decision you make has a price to pay.
It's not about having a long "pros" list that outweighs the "cons" list.
The key to making a decision is coming to terms and accepting these trade-offs.
When I wanted everything, that’s when I struggled to make decisions.
When I refuse to look at what I am willing to give up or compromise, I get cornered.
But when I finally faced the “price” of my decisions and asked myself, “Can I live with this?”—the answer became clear.
It’s not just about listing pros and cons.
It’s more than that.
It’s an honest exercise on what matters more and with that, I am willing to embrace the so-called “cons” that come along with it.
Yes, as I leave the comfort of the corporate world, I leave behind a world of amazing company benefits.
Yet, I also gained the freedom of time to rest, to study, to build a business at my own pace.
As I embark on the journey of preparing for motherhood, I am also accepting that I may give up some of my spontaneity and embrace a slower pace at work.
All our actions and decisions have consequences and being able to look at them and ask yourself
“Am I okay with this?”
“Can I accept this?”
may be the question you want to ask yourself instead of “Which is the best decision here?”
Ultimately, there’s no best decision.
It’s only what you’re willing to gain and what you’re willing to give up.
Sometimes, the difference is obvious.
Sometimes, it’s less obvious.
This is the time that you decide what do you value more in your life, and make a choice.
It doesn’t have to be “right”.
And more importantly, it doesn’t have to be right “forever”
Your values will shift, and so will your decisions.
Give yourself the space to make choices that align with what’s important to you right now, and let those choices evolve as you do.
The real danger isn’t in making the “wrong” decision.
It’s in moving through life on autopilot, in making choices unconsciously.
If you’re starting a business just because others are doing so, you’re not conscious.
If you’re going for promotion just because everyone else says it’s the “right” thing to do, you’re not conscious.
But if you’re making decisions consciously, with full awareness of why you’re making them, then you can’t go wrong.
Even if things change down the line, it doesn’t mean your choice was wrong in the first place.
So, trust yourself, dare to decide, and keep moving forward with intention.
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