How to Be More Decisive (Without Feeling Like You’re Free-Falling Into Chaos)

Mar 27

Today’s wisdom nugget on how to become a more decisive person starts with my dad.

Specifically, my dad’s lifelong money-saving philosophy. His rule is simple: You won’t be a good saver unless you decide you want the savings more than you want the thing you’re about to buy. That’s it. That’s the guiding principle.

And my organizing-obsessed brain (I was that kid gleefully reorganizing my mom’s entire classroom for fun) has a very similar philosophy when it comes to decluttering. You have to want the space more than you want the thing. Because let’s be real—if we kept every single thing we thought had some value, we’d end up on an episode of Hoarders, buried under 17 years of sentimental t-shirts and expired Bath & Body Works lotions.

Okay, great. So how does this relate to decision-making?

You Have to Want the Decision Made More Than You Want the Bad Habit

To become more decisive, you have to recognize the real goal. The goal is not necessarily to be a decisiveness expert who walks around making choices like a corporate CEO with a PowerPoint clicker. The goal is to stop:

Wasting time thinking, rethinking, and researching every little thing
Feeling constantly uncertain and unsatisfied with your choices
Outsourcing confidence to the internet, your friends, or future you who will “totally have more clarity” (spoiler: future you is just you, slightly older)

It’s about moving through life with more confidence and conviction. It’s about knowing you can trust yourself.

And to get there? You have to want the decision to be made more than you want the bad habit.

What’s your bad habit?

Do you want the decision to be “perfect” more than you want it done?
Do you want everyone’s approval more than you want the decision finished?
Do you want 100% certainty more than you want to move forward?

If so, this is where we change the game.

The 51% Rule: The Secret to Becoming More Decisive

Here’s the deal: You’re not going to wake up tomorrow and suddenly stop caring about making the right decision. That’s not how it works. But you can start tipping the scales.

From now on, in at least 51% of your decisions, I want you to prioritize the decision being done over your usual bad habit.

✔ If you over-research every decision, commit to making 51% of your choices without going down the Reddit rabbit hole for hours.

✔ If you always seek validation before making a decision, try making 51% of your choices without polling the group chat.

✔ If you struggle with uncertainty, decide that 51% of the time, you’ll be okay with not knowing exactly how things will play out.

You still get to have your 49%. You still get to double-check some things, get opinions when it really matters, or read every Amazon review when it actually serves you. But most of the time, you’ll be making the call and moving on.

At first, it’ll feel wrong. Like you’re breaking some unspoken rule. You might physically twitch when you don’t immediately look up “best toaster ovens of 2024.” But what you gain is mental freedom—and that’s worth more than a five-star Yelp recommendation.

The Takeaway

Just like my dad’s rule for saving money, decisiveness requires prioritizing the bigger goal. You don’t have to love every single step of the process, but you will love the result: a life where decisions feel easier, faster, and way less stressful.

So, your challenge this week: Pick your thing. What’s the bad habit you default to in decision-making?

Then, commit: 51% of the time, I will want the decision made more than I want [bad habit].

Let’s see what happens. I have a strong feeling future-you is going to be very grateful.

Wait, I need more help!

Is it time to work together? I help overthinking high-achievers trust their choices.

Whether you need help being more decisive, taking up more space in your own life, or truly figuring out what you want so you can take action on it — coaching with me gives you guidance, accountability and an expert in your corner.

We’ll use science-backed tools and proven strategies to change mental and physical habits, decrease your baseline overwhelm, and grow your self-trust to the point that you make clear, conscious, self-honoring decisions with ease, daily.

It starts — naturally — with some decisive action.

Book your no-strings Free Consultation where we’ll talk like humans, break down your goals, identify a path forward, and figure out if we’re a fit to work together.