Use a Shot Clock to Improve Decision Making

Set your shot-clock and make a decision before time runs out.

The ability to make smart decisions quickly and eh, decisively, is a valuable skill that can improve all areas of your life.  Not only is decision-making a necessity in this fast-paced world we live in, it can also be empowering and alleviate stress (the stress that comes from delaying a decision!)

So, if the ability to make quick decisions is a skill you need improvement on, there is an easy method you can use to build your decision making power...

Consider first, however, how often we stress out trying to figure out the "right" decision.  You may have found yourselves in situations where you had to make a decision but you felt frozen... you just didn't know what to do... and were afraid to make any choice; any decision.  You were unsure of the consequences that might come from your decision... fearful to do something wrong. You delayed delayed delayed and stressed out thinking of all the things that could go wrong...

But in the end you came to discover that you had nothing to worry about. You discovered the truth of the matter is that the outcomes of our decisions (if/when we ever make them!) always take us to new places, and those places ain't always half bad.  Actually, they're often quite nice!

So why delay and why stress?  Especially when the process of making any decision is relatively simple.  Really, it is.  You gather as many facts as are readily available to you, evaluate the findings, consider the options, and choose a course of action.  That's the process in as basic of terms as you can get.  And it is such an important skill that can help you reach your goals in life that much faster.

Which is why you must trust your inner sage and get better at making decisions.

To do this, try visualizing a shot clock every time you are faced with a decision to make.

Like in the game of basketball (or snooker or pro lacrosse or water polo, etc.,) where one team is given a prescribed amount of time on each possession to try and score, the metaphorical ball will be placed in your hands and you must determine what to do with it.  Will you shoot?  Will you pass?  Will you try to draw a foul?  Will you call time-out?  Hurry up, the shot clock is ticking!

The shot clock starts counting down to alert the one(s) holding the ball that a decision must be made, and it must be made soon. They have all the information they need right in front of them; they combine that with the strategy they've prepared; and they apply the skills they've trained countless hours on.  And, before 24 seconds pass by, the decision is made.  Not bad, huh?

You can do the same.

So, the next time you are presented with a decision to make, start the clock.  Pretend the shot-clock is ticking down and the buzzer will sound at any moment.  You can give yourself 1 min., you can give yourself 1 hour, but set a deadline and get the clock running.  And then make a decision before time runs out.   It's a simple as that.