Consequences
In June I wrote about Decisions. Today I’ll cover the consequences of Indecision.
Decisions have consequences. Similarly, indecision has consequences. While indecision sometimes results in good outcomes, more often the consequences can be bad and irreversible, leading to lasting regret. Indecision is closely tied to procrastination and the avoidance of reality.
People defer starting a degree, thinking they’ll do it “when things get slower”. Some decide to delay marriage because they’re deep into their careers. Some decline a promotion or postpone a health regimen, because the time “isn’t” right. Many drag their heels on the biggest decisions of their lives simply because they don’t feel prepared.
Studies show that delaying important decisions is not smart, unless necessitated by things beyond our control. The best things in life - good health, safety, love, family - materialize and bring a lifetime of happiness due to the decisions we make. Those decisions shape who we become.
The goal is to make intentional decisions to achieve desired consequences. When we reflect and act with awareness, we control our future. We turn decision-making from a stressful act to an act of purpose. By doing so, we design a life that doesn’t just “happen” to us, but that is deeply our own.
The conflict between short-term comfort (what feels good now) and future value (what’s best later) is a common struggle. Avoiding difficult decisions or procrastinating on goals may seem relaxing now, but often leads to long-term frustration, and worse, lifetime regret.
Conversely, taking thoughtfully contemplated risks right now can feel uncomfortable in the near term, but can pay massive dividends later. The challenge is thinking strategically: seeing beyond the present and trusting that short-term discomfort can lead to long-term satisfaction.
I decided when I was very young, never to use the word “regret” for anything that happened in my life. I would steer my life rather than have it steer me. Therefore, I’d be responsible for the choices I make and have no-one to blame or praise for the consequences, except myself. Long-term regret rarely comes from the things we did. It comes more often from what we didn’t do.
Decisions we “could have made”, paths “we should have taken”, weigh heavier as years pass. That ache can linger much longer than the fear that stopped us before. Such feelings can lead to sadness, broken relationships, and mental strife that lasts forever. One of the gloomiest phrases is “what if….?”
Time is definitively something we can’t get back, and comfort zones shrink with time. The years we spend waiting for “the right moment” won’t return. Indecision quietly drains time from our most productive and enthusiastic years. As time goes by, opportunities vanish, energy and courage fade.
Fulfilment lives on the other side of uncertainty. The longer we wait, the more alien that side begins to feel. And the time we spend waiting is time we will never get back.
Life rewards action, not hesitation. Procrastination, stagnation and indecision are quiet thieves – they bring nothing.
Pursue your dreams, achieve your goals! Be the person you’ve always wanted to be. Don’t settle for mediocre. Don’t compromise to the point where you no longer live for yourself but entirely for others. Don’t let anyone prevent you from being you.
Avoid indecision. Go after the consequences you desire – you’ll be a happier person. Others will come along.
Email me: bernadette@gogettercoaching.com .