4 Traps to Avoid When Making Big Decisions

Everyone needs to make a big decision at one time or another.  It might be related to work, family, a relationship, or a health situation.  It could be anything where you feel like there’s a lot at stake.  You go back and forth, weighing your options as you wrestle with the situation. 

Facing a big decision in your life can be a stressful and emotionally draining experience.  Getting trapped in unhelpful thinking patterns doesn't help; it only increases your stress and make things even more difficult. 

Make things easier for yourself, and ultimately make a better decision, by avoiding the following four traps when you need to make a big decision.

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1. Getting stuck in an overthinking loop.
 
Big decisions generally aren’t the place for being rash and reckless.  You want to give yourself adequate time to think things through before taking action.  However, you don't want to fall into the trap of overthinking, where you exhaust yourself by going back and forth endlessly. 
 
Even with the most careful planning, there’s a chance you’ll miss something.  Life is complex, and there are times when waiting to get a complete and perfect understanding of a situation just isn’t realistic.  At some point, you need to stop thinking about things and be willing to make a move.
 
If it's your tendency to overthink things, be specific about the information you need to gather and what you need to consider before moving forward.  This will prevent you from getting stuck in an overthinking loop where you keep re-examining the situation without moving forward.
 
 
2.  Trying to predict the future.
 
Looking ahead before you take action can help you avoid costly mistakes.  But you can’t predict the future.  Everyone's life is filled with a few surprises, both good and bad.  An essential part of getting through life is learning how to deal with these unexpected surprises when they land on your doorstep. 
 
When faced with a big decision, it’s tempting to want to look into the future and visualize how things will play out.  No matter what you decide,  accept that you never know when or how you might get hit with a curve ball you never saw coming.
 
 
3.  Getting caught up in someone else's agenda.
 
Sometimes, the difficulty with making a big decision is that you’re out of touch with what you truly feel and want.  Instead, you're completely caught up in someone else's agenda, distracted by their needs and wants.  It could be expectations from family, pressure from friends, or a general sense of what you "should" do based on what society at large deems appropriate. 
 
Do you struggle with being overly concerned with what everyone else wants, to the point where you’re out of touch with your own needs and wants?  If the answer is yes, make an effort to get tuned in to your own values and priorities.  This type of self-awareness serves as a powerful anchor, helping you to clearly see what’s right for you when you have a big decision to make. 
 
 
4.  Being paralyzed due to fear of the unknown.
 
It's human nature to cling to what's familiar, even when it's no longer serving your best interests.  You view what's familiar as safe, and feel nervous about heading into unfamiliar territory.  Left unchecked, this fear of the unknown can become paralyzing.  You don't know how things will turn out when you make changes, so you don't do anything.  You essentially ignore the situation and the decision you need to make, wishing and hoping it will somehow go away on its own. 
 
Don't let your fear of the unknown become so powerful that it renders you completely immobile.  Talking things out with someone you trust is a great way to get things out in the open, and it will force you to acknowledge what you're dealing with.  Then, identify the elements you have control over and make the best decision you can with the knowledge you have.  Have faith in yourself that you'll find a way to navigate the unknown road ahead, just as you’ve dealt with everything in your life up until now.
 
 
Conclusion

​It's natural to feel apprehension when making big decisions.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, as it serves as an internal alert that you need to take things seriously and exercise care.  By avoiding the most common decision making traps, you’ll be able to think calmly and clearly, increasing your ability to make a good decision no matter what you're facing.  
 
 
It’s natural to question yourself when faced with a tough decision as you wonder if you did the right thing.  Here are four signs you made the right decision in a difficult situation.
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