Making Decisions in 10 Seconds or Less
Dr. Gary Epler – Know who you are moment by moment which means knowing where you’re thinking from. Think from the heart for making important personal decisions and think from the mind for business decisions.
What do you mean, think from the heart for personal decisions?
You might have a decision about a new job, a new house, or a new relationship. Thinking from the head will keep you up all night thinking about the positives and negatives with no decision in the morning. Instead of thinking from the head with indecision, think from the heart with an instant decision. The function of the heart is to keep itself healthy and has millions of neurons to do this. Therefore, you will receive a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ whatever is best for your health.
Can you give an example?
You have a new job offer with a prestigious title and high salary that requires moving to another location. Thinking from your head, you will list the advantages of the title and more money and compare these with moving to another location. This will go on for hours or days without a decision. Listen to your heart. It’s saying ‘no’ because in your current situation, the time is not right for a move. Disrupting your family and long-term negative consequences are too harmful. Instead, be grateful and content with what you have. Success will come in a different, healthier way.
What are the problems of not making an instant decision?
Frustration and anger are the immediate problems because people need action. They want to do something. Without a decision all action is stopped. For example, although short-term disappointment, an immediate ‘no” answer is helpful because people can go forward either by doing something to get a yes or abandon the request and move onto something else. In some situations, not willing to make a major decision can have catastrophic consequences. Irreversible events can occur during the delay or a forced, panic decision will have to be made with disastrous results.
Why can’t some people make decisions?
People can’t make decisions because they’re thinking about themselves causing stress that stops them from thinking from the heart with kindness or thinking from the mind for a solution. In addition, people are thinking from the stress center about making a wrong decision or failing. People need to be their true selves and be willing to take the consequences, both good and bad. There are no bad decisions, only bad outcomes. Make the decision instantly so if it is wrong, then you can fix it fast.
How can people make instant decisions?
Make instant decisions by thinking from the heart and the mind.
What do you mean?
Use the available information combined with kindness and giving from the heart and use the mind that has unlimited information and knowledge.
How do you use the mind to make an instant decision?
Remember the mind is not the brain. The brain is limited and negative. The brain is filled with failures, mistakes, and rejections. The brain is selfish. The mind is unlimited filled with all information and knowledge to make decisions. The mind is creative for finding solutions. Courage comes from the mind. The mind is inspirational. You need to be in a slow brainwave state to use the mind, which you learn through traditional eyes-closed meditation or eyes-open meditation.
What do you need to do after making the decision?
You need to give three reasons for making the decision. This shows you understand the situation and gives the person or team sufficient help to go forward. If you have no interest or don’t want to make the decision, then say “no.” Give the basis for your decision so the person or organization can act by getting more information, going to someone else, or abandoning the request or the project.
Anything else about making decisions?
Being indecisive and not being able to make a decision causes frustration, confusion, and waiting can have serious consequences. Making instant decisions is needed at all levels including executives, managers, team leaders, and employees. This is also needed at home and for your family. For effective leadership, decisions must be made fast. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about making the decision. If it’s right, the organization moves on successfully. If it’s wrong, it can be fixed before irreversible harm is done.
What happens if you wait for more information or let events play themselves out?
This creates time for bad events to occur. For example, you’re the CEO and your two top performing salespeople are egocentric and toxic causing a dysfunctional work environment. They’re going to hurt the company long term. They’re continually bickering and fighting in the hallways and at meetings. They make harsh comments about other salespeople and make fun of them for making mistakes. This creates a work environment based on fear and anger. People want to leave.
What should the CEO do?
There are several options. (1) They’re top performers, give them anything they need. Let events unfold. This will make the situation worse. (2) Have a meeting with them. This won’t work because their self-centered behavior will not change. (3) Fire one of them. The other one will continue this toxic behavior. The answer is fire both of them and do it now before irreversible damage is done. Take the short-term consequences which could be a lawsuit or personal revenge. Let them go to the competition. This will help your company. The teams will perform better, people will want to stay at the company, and the organization will return to financial success.
Joan – Make instant decisions when needed. Do you have any closing comments?
Dr. Gary Epler – Instant decisions are needed at work and at home. This eliminates frustration, confusion, and inaction. Make decisions using the heart with kindness and the mind with creativity to find solutions and help others. Make decisions by being your true authentic self with no self-centered thoughts about yourself from the stress center.
