3 Things I learned last week…2/29-3/6/2016

Making informed decisions: I am sure you have heard the phrase “paralysis by over analysis”.  Which means you are thinking, discussing, and analyzing a decision so much that you haven’t, won’t, or can’t make a decision.  So you are paralyzed, meaning you can’t move on, hence the word paralyzed.  So why do we do this?  I know we all want to make the right decision and some decisions need more time.  However, the thing we have to do is look at all of the current facts, and say what other facts are really necessary and should or would those facts change any of the outcomes or consequences of the decision.  The answer here is usually no.  So my advice is to ask yourself what is the big decision you are analyzing in your life right now.  What other facts do you need to help you make a decision?  And lastly, if you got those additional facts, would that impact the decision or not?  And then make your decision.  Most of our life is all about making decisions and most people would rather analyze a decision instead of making one.  So make the decision and move forward.  I did last week.

Equal by definition is not fair:  Here is a definition for equal: Having the same quantity, measure, or value as another. In the eyes of god, in the eyes of law, in the eyes of our family, in the eyes of others, we should all be equal.  So this is not me talking about your equality as a human being.  No.  What I am referring to, is equal in the marketplace.  As the definition states above.  Having the same value as another.  Well, in the marketplace we all don’t have equal value.  A CEO makes a certain amount of money because of the value they bring to their company.  You may make less than your colleague because they may have more education, more experience, or some intangible that may not show up on paper that you don’t have.  The marketplace determines values for everything we buy.  The iPhone you have in your pocket, the car you drive, the house you live in. etc. The good thing is we all have the opportunity to increase our value.  We can make a decision today to become more valuable to the marketplace. We can do this by developing more skills, pursuing further education, developing our ability to lead and influence others. If you want to become more valuable, invest in you, and you will see a return.

If I decide:  I can make anything I want to happen, happen.  Seems rather simple doesn’t it?  Sure it does.  So why is something so simple so hard?  Many people decide to lose weight, quit smoking, get out of debt, go back to school, etc. every year on January 1.  After a few weeks, statistics show that most of the people who decided to do those things are no longer pursuing them. So the statement should read like this “I have decided”.  Once you decide you must make yourself accountable to that decision. You must determine why that decision is important to you, and then lastly the action plan (the change(s)) you are going to make to ensure it happens.  Last week, I made several decisions. Some big and some small.  Some I laid the action plan out, some I didn’t.  I have already started seeing results from the decisions that I decided to pursue and made the necessary changes to do so.  However, the ones I haven’t made the changes necessary, I am about where I was. Why would I expect anything else? And why should you expect something different when you haven’t made the necessary changes?

To your success and your future.