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A ‘Decisive’ Person Can Still Get Mired in Indecision
When what you are best at isn’t up to the task anymore
I prided myself on my decision-making ability. I was great at letting the irrelevant factors fall away, looking at the facts, and just wandering around as my subconscious chewed on them.
I’d stay in a state of pre-commitment — holding my cards close to my vest — not ruling anything out or leaning in any particular way, until the shift happened.
Suddenly the little workers in my brain-office come out of sequestration to report that the quantum state of possibilities had collapsed to one possibility.
When deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up, what college to go to, which city to live in, what hobbies or classes to sign up for, I took my time.
It didn’t seem like I was doing anything on the surface. I’d do a bit of research or ponder now and then, and then shrug and go on with my day. I wasn’t worried about not having an answer yet. Because I could vaguely sense that subconscious was working on it, and would tell me when it was ready.
This was how I made all the life decisions I was proud of. I waited — then I knew.
And the decisions I made this way tended to hold up well to scrutiny. When I knew, I knew…