Some people love to be in charge and make all the decisions. (You’re picturing someone right now—admit it!) Others hate choosing, spiraling into stress and anxiety. Then there’s that person in your life who refuses to make a choice because they’re “fine with whatever.”
Most of us are a mix of these, depending on the situation. So, who’s got it right? Is there even a “wrong” way to make decisions?
I know people who swear by their trusty Pros-and-Cons list. Others who decide and never look back. Then there are the ones who regret a decision for years—even when it turns out fine. Some people deliberate forever, only to finally go with their gut. Personally, I rely on intuition for the big stuff, but those little decisions? They trip me up.
Here’s a wild stat: an adult makes around 35,000 decisions every single day. THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND! No wonder we feel decision fatigue by the time we’re choosing what to grab for dinner and debating where to park at the mall.
But what drives our decision-making tendencies? I suspect it’s fear. Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of regret. Fear of disappointing ourselves or others. Fear of looking foolish. Just plain fear.
Here’s the thing, though—and I know not everyone will agree—what if there is no wrong decision?
Hear me out: Before every decision lies choice. Even when it’s between two less-than-ideal options, we have choice. And every choice we make leads to clarity.
- Maybe you chose the fried appetizers over the soup-and-salad combo and now feel sluggish heading back to work. Clarity.
- Or you splurged on leather boots that pinched in the store, and now they’re unbearable. Clarity.
- Perhaps you gave your on-again-off-again partner yet another chance, only to realize they’re still jobless and glued to the couch. Clarity.
- Or you let your 10-year-old stay up late for a scary movie they swore they could “handle,” and now they’re crying in your bed at 3 a.m. Clarity.
Maybe the only “wrong” decision is the one you’re unhappy with but don’t do anything to change. The beautiful part is that dissatisfaction often brings clarity—and clarity leads straight to power.
Power to make a new choice. Power to have a salad tomorrow, return those boots (unworn, of course), and set boundaries with your ex and your kid.
When we step into that power, even the “wrong” decisions become part of a larger journey toward our best, most authentic selves.
So, if you’re feeling stuck or second-guessing yourself, take a deep breath and remember: every choice you make teaches you something. Every decision, big or small, is a chance to learn, grow, and move forward. Fully claim your power, and you become unstoppable.
You’ve got this. One decision at a time.
