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Forbes
17-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Indecisive? 3 Science-Backed Steps To Make Good Choices FAST
Why are so many of us indecisive and what are the three steps for making good choices FAST? Learn ... More the answers to these questions and more. On average the adult human mind makes 33,000 to 35,000 total decisions each day, according to various sources. Many of these decisions are when the mind is on autopilot based on information it has stored about what works and what doesn't. But there's a point at which your mind on autopilot no longer works because the fried brain—unable to make more than 35,000 individual decisions—short circuits, decision-making goes offline and you are indecisive. When you make decisions after working days on end, your fatigued brain makes choices different from the ones you'd make after your brain has a rest period. Why? Scientists have discovered a phenomenon known as decision fatigue—which is what happens when your brain is worn out and depleted of mental energy. Decision fatigue impairs mental clarity and is why many wage earners have little mental energy left over for activities outside of work. After hours of nonstop working, your brain can suffer from cognitive overload, compassion fatigue and burnout. The longer you work and the more choices you make in those extended work hours, the more difficult it is for your strained mind to make sound decisions. And the harder it is to make choices like what to wear, where to eat, how much to spend or how to prioritize work projects. Mind fatigue can lead to shortcuts such as not thoroughly proofing an important email or opting out of decision-making with your team. And it can cause you to be short with colleagues, eat junk food instead of healthy meals and forego exercise. And in some cases even life-or-death issues such as permitting your newly-licensed teenager to drive the car on an icy road at night. Some of us have to make so many decisions in the workday that after a while we suffer from decision fatigue, but some experts assert that indecisiveness can be traced to childhood. "Being indecisive when it comes to major life and career choices can lead to avoidance, and that's when you get into trouble," says clinical psychologist Dr. Helen McKibben, author of Drop: Making Great Decisions. According to McKibben, the stage is set for our decisive--or indecisive--nature in the first five years of brain development. "When a child expresses a feeling, reads a situation a certain way or shares an idea of something they would like to do, how their parent or caretaker responds to them over time creates a neuron track in the brain that follows them into adulthood. When a child's feelings and ideas are supported and reinforced, the neuron track leads to trusting their instincts, feelings and choices throughout life. McKibben cautions that if they're dismissed, minimized or controlled, the child walks away second-guessing themselves. 'That neuron track creates a habit of looking to others for validation and doing what they say instead of trusting themselves,' she explains. "An example of some things not to say in response to a child would be "'Oh, you don't feel that way,' or 'If you do it my way, it will be better.'' If someone else was making choices for you, like 'helicoptor parents' do, always saying you're wrong or helps you do everything as a child, she points out that you may be in the habit of reading others for their reactions or thoughts. 'That neuron track leads you straight to indecisiveness. The good news is that you can rewire that track to erase self-doubt and trust your instincts.' That's where the "Drop" technique comes in to create a new neuron configuration on the old neuron track, McKibben says, adding that the key is to listen to the brain the way it was designed to work, which uses memory recall when making decisions. When faced with a situation or person, the brain's job is to configure how you feel in the moment and automatically retrieves memories of every time you felt that way. This memory recall then prompts you with words and ideas to help you make a choice in your best interest. 'You become decisive once you trust what your brain puts together for you,' McKibben insists. 'If people don't listen to those instincts, they are up in their heads trying to decide themselves. That's when they are reading other people for guidance. They are indecisive and don't present confidently.' She asks if you've ever walked away from a situation thinking, 'Why didn't I listen to myself? I KNEW this was going to happen?' When presented with a choice, she says your brain automatically compiled words and ideas for you to use in making that choice, but you didn't trust yourself enough. I was curious about how long it takes to become more confident in our decisions. McKibben explained by email that using the "Drop" technique over time will help us replace the old neuron track of self-doubt with the new neuron track of confidence. 'It takes just weeks of practice to reinforce the new configuration on an old neuron track,' she assures us. 'It's like a golfer who gets a new coach that changes their swing. They don't just forget the old swing, they practice and practice until the new swing becomes natural and the old swing is gone.' McKibben shares her proven three-step method to make better decisions by engaging your brain the way it's naturally designed to work: Stop, Drop and Listen. McKibben suggests that the antidote to being indecisive is not to second-guess what you hear. This takes practice, especially if you grew up in an environment where someone was making choices for you, always said you were wrong or helped you do everything. Your brain adapts to your words or ideas which will replace the tendency to look to others for guidance and second guessing yourself," McKibben concludes.
Entrepreneur
10-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to Master Mental Clarity and Find Your Focus
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In today's fast-paced world, the constant flow of information and opinions can overwhelm even the most resilient minds. While the pursuit of knowledge is essential for growth, it is equally important to create mental space for clarity and focus. Without setting boundaries, this noise can drown out our ability to think critically and make informed decisions. Here are a few strategies to clear your mind and foster both personal and business growth. Related: Feeling Stuck? 5 Ways to Clear Your Mind and Be Your Most Productive Self 1. Be more selective There are many influencers and marketing ploys that are vying for your attention. This can impact your ability to be authentic due to the pressure to say yes. How you appear as a professional is part of your brand and allows others to know if they can relate to or trust you. You will also feel relieved the more you push back against toxic pressures and can show up in the world with devotion and purpose. Remember that you can only take in so much at one time. While you may be ambitious to consume information, you need to balance that drive with managing your business operations and dealing with the unknowns of the day. Try to process information in a compartmentalized way. Designing a tempo for how you take in data can give your mind the clarity it needs to learn. Try designating your mornings as the time to take in news or your jog on the treadmill as a chance to study new methods or marketing tips. I like to make my travel time "Nancy University," where I absorb as many podcasts as I can about topics I am interested in. While I am jumping from articles to videos, I focus my learning on solving a problem or question in my life. This makes absorbing the content easier to digest even in large quantities. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with so many voices trying to share the spotlight. When consuming information, it is important to consider the source. Verify that the writer is in alignment with your values and do your research before you commit. On one hand, you want to be objective in understanding whether the learning can benefit you, instead of being distracted by its delivery. At the same time, you want to be inquisitive and vet if a resource is genuine or self-serving, which can leave you feeling taken advantage of. The way you quiet the noise of opinions and advice is to choose content that resonates positively with you and your beliefs. I like to seek referrals from my social circle and feel more trust and confidence in learning from a person who they align with. I also know that in this busy world, a genuine public review about a company or product speaks volumes. The key is to vet your potential purchases or partnerships before taking the leap and investing time and money. Related: How to Stop Overthinking and Calm Your Buzzing Mind 2. Navigate social pressures You might find people asking you where you stand politically. Perhaps you are constantly questioned about your career or personal life, always feeling the need to be achieving. This societal noise can cause you to feel overwhelmed by the need to please others or match their points of view. The best way to not feel loaded down is to be honest. Rather than struggling to find common ground, try to converse from a place of authenticity. It is okay not to have the answers to everything and simply say, "That's interesting, I will look into it." If someone is prying into your personal life, there is nothing wrong in saying, "All is good, thank you for caring about me." However, keep in mind that choosing not to engage means you may be missing out on an opportunity to grow. In that moment of conversation, you can also lean into sharing and potentially receive tips or advice from a person who views your life circumstance differently. The goal is to strike a balance between the information you take in and having outlets to express yourself. As a keynote speaker, I am always telling stories to illustrate a point. While my intention is to give the audience valuable coaching, I find that working through an experience in my life and finding the silver lining is therapeutic for me. My point of view tends to be honest in my convictions that I am still learning, and we are all students in the school of life. When someone asks you questions and you are unclear on how to answer mainly because you do not know enough about the topic, try turning the tables. Rather than needing to have on-the-spot answers, redirect the question to ask what makes the topic important to them. While it may feel like you are dodging the situation, this approach allows them to express their views or share about their lives. Oftentimes, when you are asked a question, the person is longing for you to ask it back because they have things to share as well. Related: I Was Experiencing Extreme Burnout Until I Practiced These 3 Things to Come Out Stronger While I run in many social circles where many have conflicting political or spiritual points of view, I find my greatest tool is not falling into the need to debate, but to listen. The way to release the pressure to appease others is by letting them share their views. Consider asking thoughtful, open-ended questions that prompt them to relate deeply about a topic. You may need to research and develop some strategies, but you will truly feel a sense of relief, and maybe learn new insights at the same time. In a world overloaded with distractions, it is easy to get lost in the noise, but remember that true growth stems from clarity and authenticity. By being selective about what you consume and setting boundaries with external pressures, you can create the mental space needed to thrive both personally and professionally. The key is to not just absorb more information but to engage with content that truly resonates with your values and goals.
