Photo and blog by Sharman Dow
Have you ever had a tough time making a decision? Sometimes having too many choices makes it hard to take the right path for yourself. It is in our human nature to pause and linger about making a choice. And many times the fear of making the wrong choice slows the decision-making process so much that resolutions are never made. Those decisions that are never made are called “missed opportunities.” We just can’t “see the forest for the trees” and make a choice.
It’s hard to make a decision, and when one is finally made it becomes even harder to follow through. Marriage is a good example of this, in that you make a decision for a lifetime partner and commit to following through for the long haul. In business, decisions have to be made every day, but what sets the winners out ahead of the crowd is their ability to be determined to follow through with their decision. It’s important to remember that God wants us to be determined about our decisions and not be lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16). Too many people today are indecisive about their business decisions, and to be frank, that is a success killer!
Recently a study was done where a group of people were directed to choose one of six similar items and pay a small amount for it. This same group was then asked to purchase one of 20 similar items, but this time the items were free with a coupon. The results were surprising, because when the people had fewer choices they would rather pay to buy the item than use the free coupon to pick from too many choices. So the conclusion is when there are fewer choices, it’s easier to make a decision. But what happens when you finally make a choice, especially in business when a big decision has to be made? That’s where determination comes into play.
When you are determined about a plan or purpose for your future your decisions are easier to make. Being determined is having a resolve that no matter what – you will do what you have set out to do. You have an end result in mind and will follow through with perseverance. Being determined is the act of deciding definitely and firmly. It is being decisive and having the ability to make a choice and not give up on that decision.
Are you determined about your career? Is there a change you need to make, but somehow can’t make the jump and transition into it? Sometimes God will gently push us or give us a sign it is time to make a change, but the fear of change stops us, and the opportunity will be missed. We stay lukewarm in what we think is a safe zone and never move forward into greater success and opportunities.
Several years ago I was offered an opportunity of a lifetime. A group of gentlemen wanted to go into business with me by helping me start my own insurance agency. It was a dream I had since I started selling insurance, but the thought of starting my own agency and using my savings to live on was overwhelming. I had to walk away from a financially lucrative career and the security of a regular paycheck. I sought advice from a successful family friend, and he said something that I will always remember: “If you don’t make a decision and take them up on this offer you will always wonder what could have been.”
I finally made the decision, but it was determination that kept me from giving up and ultimately finding true success. That first year was hard, and I had to give up a lot of weekends to work, but the payoff was tremendous. There were times I had to literally motivate myself and state out loud, “failure is not an option.”
I became determined not to fail, and not only did I not fail, but ultimately my company was acquired and I increased my opportunities even further. Make a decision, learn to be determined, and success will call itself into your life!
Sharman Dow is the founder of the Empower Women’s Conference, coming October 22nd to Orange County. Register today!
