I’ve been thinking about decision making lately.

A number of years ago I read Lee Iacocca’s autobiography, Talking Straight. While unpacking my boxes I ran across this book again. As I thumbed through it I found this little nugget regarding decision making:

When it comes time to make decisions, you shouldn’t get too old over them. Sure they won’t all be perfect. In fact, some of them will be duds. Learn from them, but don’t stop trying. The introverts of the world, the non-risktakers, are probably that way because they got burned young. Maybe they made the wrong move in a marbles tournament or a game of checkers and now they’re never going to take a risk again. That’s no way to live – and it’s certainly no way to make a profit.

What do you think about this? Beyond his erratic psychoanalysis of introverts I think he has a good word.

Often decisions get stuck in the “analysis” phase… hence the phrase, “Analysis Paralysis”. At some point it is time to “pull the trigger and make the decision.”

With a few exceptions your bad decision won’t permanently destroy you. Indecision, on the other hand, will guarantee ineffectiveness and mediocrity at best!

So go ahead, make that decision… you might be surprised at what happens!