5 sure-fire ways to make the right decision
Are you weighing up a big decision in your career?
You’re wide awake in the middle of the night, trying to figure out WHAT you want next or HOW to reach the next stage in your career. Or you’re wondering whether to stay — or go — in your current role or career path.
Whatever your situation, finding yourself at a career crossroads can be challenging.
You feel pressure to make a decision — and quickly. Then end up going round and round in circles out of fear of making the ‘wrong’ choice.
Decision-making is a complex topic, especially when it involves big, life-changing decisions related to your career. And everyone has a different approach.
I consider myself fairly risk averse and think it’s important to have a clear strategy. Still, pondering a decision for days or weeks on end makes me uncomfortable. I tend to make choices quickly and act on them immediately!
Others close to me prefer to think through their choices carefully, researching and analysing every possibility before committing. Some find it difficult to make a decision at all. At times, waiting too long can cost them an opportunity.
I believe there’s no such thing as a ‘wrong’ career decision — but there are practical steps you can take to make the right choice for you.
Here are five ways to find clarity and make the right career decisions, every time.
WAY #1 — FIND SPACE
It’s hard to make decisions when you’re overwhelmed or prioritising everyone and everything else before yourself. If you’re struggling to find clarity, start with self-care and take a break.
Once you’re feeling less frazzled, give yourself time and space to make a decision. Slow down and let go of the pressure to decide right now. Change up your environment, get outside in nature, move — whatever it takes to clear your mind.
A client shared they’d been wrestling with a major career decision for many weeks. After carving out some time and space for themselves, the answer became clear. All within a matter of days!
Because when you start by creating space, you will find clarity and make the right career choices.
WAY #2 — REMOVE DISTRACTIONS
Every day you’re inundated by offers, opportunities and requests for your time. Not only is this exhausting, but you’re spending valuable time and energy trying to make decisions based on other people’s agendas, opinions or ideas.
The problem with this is, you’re making choices based on what you think you ‘should’ or ‘have’ to do — not what you actually want.
It’s like trying to find the right frequency on a radio channel. When there’s too much static, it’s hard to hear your favourite song!
An important part of decision making is muting the ‘noise’ and removing these distractions. This starts by setting boundaries and finding some space.
Only then can you get clear on what you want and make the right decision in line with your values. Check out this free training if you want support with this.
Remember, when you stop choosing what you think you should do and start focusing on what you want — you will make the right career decisions, every time.
WAY #3 — FACE THE FEAR, HEAD ON!
Self-doubt, fear of regret and making the wrong move can stop you making any decision. The only way to move through these feelings is to notice the thoughts behind them and face your fears — head on.
Ask yourself: What’s the worst thing that could happen if you made this choice? Would it be losing your title, salary — or the identity tied to your current role? Or throwing away the time, money and energy you’ve invested in your career so far?
What would it cost you in time, money, your health or the impact on those around you? Keep digging deeper to uncover the worst case scenario and write it down.
How likely is it this would happen? And if it did, what would you do about it? When you identify solutions upfront, you remove the fear and make more informed decisions.
Finally, consider — what’s the best case scenario? What dreams will you accomplish? And what will you learn as a result?
Considering both the positive and negative outcomes allows you to weigh up the risks and benefits of a decision. When you face your fears, you will know if taking a risk is worth it!
WAY #4 — GO WITH YOUR HEART
You’ve been taught to ‘think’ your way to the right decision — but logic alone often keeps you second-guessing.
Neuroscience supports this. The pre-frontal cortex is the part of your brain responsible for decision-making and processing emotions. According to brain injury studies, damage to this emotional centre makes it difficult for patients to make decisions.
Tuning into your body’s natural wisdom helps you bypass fear, ego and overthinking. Ask yourself: what feels right?
When you consider this decision, do you feel contracted or expansive? A sense of heaviness and dread — or lightness and excitement? Intuition can be subtle but feelings of ease and expansion usually mean you’re on the right track.
Finally, what does your heart say? Will you regret NOT doing this 5 years from now? If the answer is a clear YES — you’re on the right path!
Because when you lead with your heart (not just your head), you will easily navigate big career decisions.
WAY #5 — BITE THE BULLET
If you’ve worked through the other strategies and are still agonising over the ‘right’ choice — just decide! You won’t always be 100% certain but the bigger risk is staying stuck.
Figure out what you want. Then commit to it, by following through and taking action.
Let’s say you’re struggling with a big decision, like starting a business or changing careers. Ask yourself: How you can test this idea on a small scale? Treat it like an experiment and focus on taking one small step at a time.
If this decision is consuming your time and energy, remember there is never a ‘wrong’ choice. Reframe mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth knowing you can always reset and choose again later.
Finally, take time to reflect on your decisions. How do you feel afterwards? What worked or didn’t — and why or why not?
Based on this experience, what will you do differently in future? When you treat decision-making like an experiment, you will never make a ‘wrong’ choice.
If you let it, decision-making can become a challenging, all-consuming process — but it doesn’t have to be this way. These strategies have helped my clients and I get unstuck and make career decisions with clarity and ease. I hope they support you too!
Want further support to find clarity on your next career step?
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Stacey Back is The Career Planning Specialist, an executive career + leadership coach and speaker. She helps high-achievers at a career crossroads find the work that lights them up, increase their income, impact and create a career + life on their terms. Stacey works virtually with individuals and organisations based across the globe.