Multiple road signs demonstrating the difficulty of making up your mind.

Have you ever pondered how individuals like David Goggins build seemingly unattainable mental fortitude?

I’m constantly captivated by how far some individuals push themselves and stretch their boundaries.

A friend who endured extreme adversity once shared with me:

We’re much stronger than we believe. We’re far more resilient than we give ourselves credit for.

Although there are shared traits among the mentally tough, I realised that mental strength is a by-product of the decisions they make.

It all began with a single choice.

David Goggins didn’t set out to be a mental powerhouse.

There was no reward for being mentally strong as such.

When he resolved to run his first long-distance race for charity, he confronted one of the most challenging endurance tests.

That’s when he discovered the extent to which he could push his limits.

Seth Godin mentioned that he decided long ago what he’d do for free and what he wouldn’t.

He claims that this one decision saved him an incredible amount of time.

He knew when to say “yes” or “no” without wasting precious moments pondering it.

As he wisely stated:

We only have to make a decision once.

There’s no compromise. No emotion. No drama.

A woman standing at a crossroad and the phrase about the power of one decision

Sounds Deceptively Simple

When phrased that way, it seems so straightforward, right?

I suspect that what follows is remarkable self-discipline.

We must battle fiercely to resist the things we said we wouldn’t do.

Resisting short-term, quick gains can be difficult, not to mention all the distractions that can lead us down a rabbit hole.

You’ve probably said no to social media numerous times, only to be drawn back into an endless stream of adorable cat pictures.

So, even though they make it sound easy, we know it’s far from a piece of cake.

So much so that many of us opt not to make a decision at all.

And here are 4 reasons why you might struggle with making decisions. 

4 Key Reasons Why You Can’t Make Up Your Mind

Making a decision is only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.

Paulo Coelho

1. You Have No Goal, Have Too Many Goals, or…

Your goal is actually a dream.  

It’s crucial to differentiate between a goal and a dream.

I daydream about playing Fur Elise at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s a dream.

I know it’s never going to happen.

I’m not being pessimistic, but realistic.

If your goal is an unattainable dream, you won’t make a decision because, deep down, you know it’s a fantasy.

Having too many goals also leads to hesitation.

You grapple with choosing one goal to commit to, and as a result, you remain indecisive forever.

2. Your Fear and Uncertainty

Your rational mind understands that when you commit to a goal and work towards it, you can achieve it, but your fear and uncertainty restrain you.

I can practically hear Tony Robbins’ deep, booming voice exclaiming:

Decide…

He frequently discusses our indecision versus our fears and uncertainties.

I’ve shared my own experiences with indecisiveness.

My life remained stagnant as long as I was indecisive, and it was entirely my doing.

Even though we understand the importance of change and its potential benefits, stepping out of our comfort zone and embracing fear requires immense effort and bravery.

3. You’re Afraid of Responsibility

A woman carrying a backpack and Winston Churchill quote about responsibility, the price of greatness.

Responsibility is the price of greatness.

Winston Churchill

It feels more secure to let others make decisions for you.

After all, if things go awry, you won’t be held accountable.

There might be a deeper reason for shirking responsibility as well.

You could be struggling with low confidence and self-esteem, doubting your ability to make the right choices.

Do you recall what my friend mentioned?

We’re much stronger than we believe.

She wouldn’t have discovered her inner strength if she hadn’t trusted herself and assumed responsibility.

By choosing to take responsibility and confront her life challenges head-on, she discovered she was far more capable than she had ever imagined.

4. You’re Over-analysing

When you remain indecisive until you’ve gathered all the information necessary to make the “right” decision, you end up over-analysing and choosing to do nothing.

Although you’ve sort of made a decision by not making one, nothing has changed to improve your life.

Perfectionism and over-analysis often go hand in hand.

Most of the time, we simply need to take the plunge and believe in ourselves.

Coincidentally, that’s the essence of my 100-Day Challenge!

Final Thoughts: How to Overcome ‘Why Can’t I Make Up My Mind?’

The best cure for all of you who struggle with indecision and can’t make up your mind is to make one decision and be done with it. 

The moment you make a decision, leave it be. 

Don’t allow your ego to interfere with the decision.

There’s no room for doubt, laziness, or overthinking.

There’s no “Should I do this today or shouldn’t I?” because you’ve already made a decision. 

There’s no debate. 

You just get on with the next step towards your goal.

The three gentlemen mentioned here make it sound so easy that I almost believe making a decision is that easy. 

Or maybe, just maybe, making a decision is really that easy after all…

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