Not sure what to do? Here’s how to tackle BIG decisions.

“There’s nothing worse than finally reaching the top of the ladder only to realize that it’s been leaning against the wrong wall”

That’s a piece of advice my sister gave me a few years ago. She got the quote from Jack Canfield’s bestselling book The Success Principles (a favorite of ours), and I was struggling to decide whether or not to take a new job opportunity or stay put with the company I’d been with for almost 10 years.

I’d been unhappy at my job, which prompted me to seek out other employment opportunities in the first place; but somehow, now that I was being presented with a job offer, and a great one at that, I hesitated. Sure this new job would provide me with better pay and benefits, and more work/life balance, but it was also unfamiliar. I’d be starting over and leaving a place where I had already established myself and was on the verge of a big promotion.

“Can I really leave?” I would ask myself. “What about all the years I’d put in? What about the years my bosses and mentors had invested in my success?”

“Sometimes we are so focused on the climb, we lose sight of what we are climbing towards”

Once I took a moment to actually think about the path I was on, I knew it was time to step out on faith and make the change. That decision to leave was a pivotal moment in my life’s journey. Looking back at that time in my life, it’s now crystal clear that leaving my “good job” was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

How I tackle big decisions now:

1. I refer to my vision board. I’m a huge advocate of vision boards (see my blog post on how to make one). It ensures that I see the big picture several times a day. When you are clear about what you want, it’s a lot easier to make life decisions.
2. I do a monthly check in. At the beginning of each month I set a clear intention on what it is I want to accomplish, making sure that it’s in alignment with my goals(s) for the year. At the end of the month I review how things went. Having this built in accountability practice helps me to not get stuck. This forced reflection allows me to quickly identify if I’m going off track so I can make a correction.
3. I make tweaks. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with changing your mind. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. I’ve made the mistake of working towards a goal, not because I even wanted to accomplish it anymore, but simply because the last time I’d reflected on my goals (usually several years or months prior) it seemed like a good idea. Then I got busy, and started operating on autopilot, essentially climbing that ladder that was leaning on the wrong wall, wasting years of meaningful progress on what I actually wanted. Now I make a point to question my end goal and make tweaks along the way.

In order to make meaningful progress, it’s so critical that we ask ourselves repeatedly, do I think this path will lead me to where I actually want to go? And if the answer is no – then we need to get off the path, re calibrate, change course, and begin again.