How well do you make decisions? People tend to fall into two categories
- Those who make decisions easily
- Those who struggle to make decisions
There are a lot of reasons why someone feels comfortable with making decisions. Here are a few:
- They grew up in an environment that encouraged decision making
- They have a take-charge personality
- They have had positive results with past decisions
- They have good negotiating skills
Like people who easily make decisions, those who don’t have typical reasons why. Here are a few of those:
- They weren’t encouraged to make decisions as a child
- They lack confidence
- They’ve made a regrettable decision that left a wound
- Their personality avoids attention or authority
Making decisions is unavoidable – cradle to grave, everyone makes them. Some decisions don’t require much thought. From what you eat to what you wear, generally these choices aren’t complicated or controversial. It’s the bigger decisions that cause struggles for people less inclined to put themselves on the line.
Family dynamics: Family dynamics influence how people make decisions. People who were encouraged to make their own decisions as kids expect to make them as adults. Families who didn’t allow kids to have a lot of input or choices tend to raise kids who aren’t confident making their own decisions.
Confidence levels: Confidence is a major factor in decision making. People with high confidence levels tend to be more secure in their decisions. In this case, confidence isn’t measured by how reserved or outgoing they are, but by how sure of themselves they are and confident in their own ability to discern what’s best in a given situation.
Can Making Decisions Be a Problem?
Being too decisive can be as problematic as being indecisive. Both are extreme and can create chaos and problems. It makes sense that being indecisive can be a problem. Think about trying to choose a restaurant with someone reluctant to make a decision. But being too decisive can come across as arrogant or bull-dozing. Though that might not be accurate, people who make fast and furious decisions can cause ripples that affect others unintentionally. In most cases, people making decisions need to account for many things before they make them.
Whether making decisions is easier or more of a challenge, people find harmony and get the results they want by being open and honest as they represent their opinions, ideas, and make their decisions.
