The New Year is not only about goals but also about decisions especially those related to your career. Decisions that will help you avert situations that drag you along without much thought. Here are some steps to guide you when faced with difficult decisions.
Re-state the decision as a question: This is useful because a decision is usually meant to be a solution to some issues you are facing. Using the question approach also helps to clarify in your own mind what value that decision will bring to you.
State your concerns around the decision. Is the decision difficult? Why is the decision difficult? What assumptions must you rethink? This process will help you outline the various aspects of the decision, how strongly do you feel about the concerns?
Why are these concerns for you? What are the underlying values or priorities for each concern? What do these concerns reveal to you? Try and brainstorm counter-arguments so that you see the pros and cons.
Heed the gut reaction too. Sometimes for important decisions, you cannot and should not go with facts and logic alone. Your intuition picks up on the things that matter to you which may not or cannot be captured in logic. If you can’t put your finger on what’s nagging you, talk to someone who knows you in order to provide helpful advice.
Own the decision: You can seek advice but eventually you must take the decision so make sure you are at peace with it. But once you make the decision, invest effort in increasing the chances of achieving the outcome you want.
Now take action: what one good decision do you need to make to give your new goals traction?
