The Myth of Not Deciding by Jim Stovall

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We succeed or fail in virtually every area of our lives based on the decisions we make. Decisions often make us nervous because we realize there could be unfavorable consequences if we make the wrong choice. The potential outcome causes many people to rush, delay, or avoid a decision. With every decision we face, there is an optimal window of time to both make and implement the decision. This optimal time comes when we have had an opportunity to gather as much information and input as possible while all of our options are still open. 

Many people rush to make a decision because they don’t want to deal with the anxiety surrounding the analysis of the available choices. These people often make poor decisions with dire consequences because they did not have the benefit of quality information and input that would have helped them make a good choice had they simply taken the time to evaluate all of the resources available to them. 

Suppose you are planning an outdoor activity, and you are worried about inclement weather. There’s no reason to make a decision 30 days in advance if you have the opportunity to wait until the day before the event to get a clearer picture of weather conditions and the short-term forecast. 

Delaying a decision beyond the optimal window of time to make a choice can be as detrimental as rushing a decision. If a high school student is struggling to decide where to apply to college, there becomes a point when the application deadline begins to eliminate their available options. If you delay a decision, you will begin to lose options. If you postpone long enough, you will lose the opportunity to decide at all. 

Either rushing or delaying a decision will damage your ability to make good choices. The first decision you need to make is, when do you need to decide? You need to choose a date that will give you ample time to gather all pertinent information and evaluate it. And you need to decide before deadlines, or other external forces, begin to erode your options. 

The worst way to handle a looming decision is to avoid it altogether. The people who avoid decisions are left with the least desirable options available or no options at all. If you avoid deciding what you want to enjoy in the banquet of life, you will find yourself eating leftovers or going hungry. 

As you go through your day today, commit to making the right decisions at the right time for the right reasons. 

Today’s the day! 

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).

Power of a Decision by Jim Stovall

Photo by Kristin Hardwick from StockSnap

I have long believed that the world belongs to the man or woman who is willing to make a decision and stick with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Your mind is among the greatest miracles ever created. It will bring you whatever you tell it to pursue.  

We all move toward our most dominant thought. You may not have thought about a bright red sports car in months or even years, but by virtue of the fact that you are reading this column, you are more likely to spot several of them on the road in the near future. The fact that I mentioned a specific type of automobile or the fact that you read it here doesn’t create more of those cars, but it puts that idea in your mind, and your mind focuses on whatever you direct it to bring to your consciousness. 

Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come, and we become what we think about all day. This is why we need to spend a specific amount of our time each day engaging in putting positive, pure, and powerful thoughts into our mind. If you overindulge in watching news reports, you will think the whole world is going down the drain. While I believe we should stay informed and keep abreast of current events, we cannot allow news reports, Internet gossip, or social media to dominate our mind. 

My company, NTN, is a part of the television industry. The industry promotes several inconsistencies in the marketplace. On one hand, programmers often show inordinate amounts of violence and destructive images, but they assure the viewing public that it’s only fiction and make-believe so it doesn’t impact children or adults who might be watching. On the other hand, this same industry tells the business community that if they will simply write a check for thousands or even millions of dollars for advertising, that brief 30- or 60-second image of their product on television screens will promote a significant rise in sales. Obviously, advertising works because marketers continue to write huge checks to get their products and services in your consciousness. You must take control of your mind and not relinquish control to media, advertisers, or anyone else. 

As you go through your day today, control what goes into your mind, and you will control your life. 

Today’s the day!  

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Listen to his Wisdom for Winners series on Audible. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor). And be sure to sign up to receive free samples of Jim Stovall’s books and audiobooks from Sound Wisdom!