What is a “hard choice”?
- It is one where there is no clear answer, no obvious path….
- It is a choice where you may be having to let go of some things that are good, valuable and important for something that is better, more valuable and equally important in the same/different way.
- It is a choice that may have equal pros and cons
- It is a choice where the pros are very exciting and the cons very scary
- It is a choice where you may need to be stretching way out of your comfort zone to achieve
Some examples of “hard choices”?
- Leaving a good career for a more exciting or rewarding one
- Moving from a good environment to one that better suits your needs and wants
- Deciding between two competing goals, that cannot be accomplished together
How do you make “hard choices”?
Since what you are choosing between may have equal/not obvious pros and cons, those lists often are not the most effective in making the choice. Therefore, the choice may be coming from your heart or gut instinct, not your head.
Your brain likes certainty (watch for my May newsletter for more on how our brains work), therefore it will feel like the choice is “hard” because the “hard choices” usually involve some (or a lot) of uncertainty.
So…one way to tap into your “gut/heart” about the choice you want to make is to understand your Values – what truly matters most to you.
Some questions to get you started…
- Why do you want to make this choice?
- What about it is most important?
- How would it feel to be living your life from each of the paths you are choosing from?
Making Hard Choices