5 Tips to Make the Right Decisions in the Midst of Chaos


"In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do. The worst thing you can do is nothing." Theodore Roosevelt

As I wandered a parking lot looking for my car I realized the quality of my decision making skills shrunk drastically in the midst of chaos. We make hundreds of decisions daily. They're the heartbeats of our lives. They make or break us. Are we making good ones? The ones that make a huge positive impact in how we feel about who we are, how we spend time, the growth of our businesses, and the difference we make in the world. The schedule is packed, the pressure is on, and we maintain our responsibilities at whatever cost. Here are 5 tips to upgrade your decisions in the midst of chaos for life transforming results.

Stay present~ When busy the mind tends to move ahead of your body, as in the example above. This is where things get misplaced and forgotten, accidents and misunderstandings occur, confusion sets in, and time gets wasted. Bring your mind to the present moment. Stay focused on what you want to complete one step at a time.

Explore Your Choices~ Consider all of your choices. If you can't see choices, ask others what they see for you. To discover the right answer ask your self introspective questions to put first things first. Here are some of my favorites from Debbie Ford's book The Right Questions:

~ Will this choice propel me toward an inspiring future or will it keep me stuck in the past?

~ Will this choice bring me long-term fulfillment or will it bring me short-term gratification?

~ Is this an act of self-love or is it an act of self-sabotage?

~ Am I standing in my power or am I trying to please another?

~ Will this choice add to my life force or will it rob me of my energy?

Listen to Your Intuition~ Is this decision ego or soul driven? Is it coming from the head or the heart? This is raising your level of consciousness and shifting from being in control to a place of trust. I had a teleclass leader at Coach U, www.coachinc.com , who said "if you can stop the chatter in your mind long enough to get the message you will find intuition is never wrong".

Stop~ Be still, breathe, listen, be at peace, and rejuvenate. Principle 2 in the book The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, explains that "Because energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal." Make decisions from a place of renewal vs. being drained.

Acts Boldly on the Important Stuff First~ When you discover the right answers follow up with bold action trusting that you have everything within you to handle whatever the outcome. The right answers are not always the easiest. Martin Luther King's right answer took guts. Oprah's decision to take "the high road" took guts. Know you are capable of so much more.

Imagine the transformation in your life and business if you take a moment to consciously upgrade your decisions. Try it, and let me know how it works out for you!

Copyright 2005 © Beth A. Tabak, All rights reserved.

Beth Tabak is a Business & Life Coach, columnist, & owner of Starting Now. She coaches small business owners and professionals to step out in a big, bold way to grow beyond limits, and create the life and business they keep thinking about. See what's in it for you at http://www.startingnowcoaching.com .