Why blow hot and cold?

Certain decisions are not easy to make. Choosing between eating a hamburger or a bowl of pasta for dinner may not have any serious consequence. You can toss a coin to decide which one you will eat. However, we tend to find it challenging when we are faced with various options for deciding on a matter that has either a long-term impact or can cause a big change within a short time. In most cases, we end up with those epoch-making two options. It is either we go left or right, or we decide on black or white. It is usual for us to get torn between two significant options, whose consequences would not be clearly known until we decide. We often find ourselves in a dilemma. That is when we blow hot and cold; when we dilly-dally, hesitate, and become indecisive.

Meanwhile, our indecision does not solve a problem. Whether we know the consequence of our decisions up-front or not, we still need to keep moving. One thing I discovered a long time ago is that most people find decision-making daunting because they have not predetermined what they would decide before the situation arises. The way to learn to make decisions is to make decisions often. It is okay to make mistakes, especially when the gravity of the decision is not significant. We should not be afraid of making decisions. Decision-making can become an art, where the act of practicing helps us to hone our skills. Those who blow hot and cold do not learn anything. They will always doubt their own decisions. When we make mistakes, we learn and grow, and then develop principles that help us decide better next time.
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As simple as it sounds, you would agree that making sound decisions may not be so simple. Yet, our lives are made up of a series of decisions. We are products decisions, whether made by us or not. The decisions we make and those made by others affect us. Therefore, we need to master the art of making decisions. Let’s get in the habit of being decisive. Stop oscillating like a pendulum. Why blow hot and cold?

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Actions for the week

1. Considering the quote for this week by Nelson Mandela, do you think your decisions or choices reflect your hopes or your fears? Self-evaluate.
2. Determine to practice the art of decision-making. When you are faced with decisions, do not dilly-dally. Once you have your facts, decide and move forward.
3. Take some time to reflect on your recent decisions. Were they sound? Why or why not? How can you improve your decisions next time.

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A quote to remember
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”– Nelson Mandela

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Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent
​Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books