Personally, I hate that feeling of being stuck. That feeling that you have no choice but the ‘ugly’ one on offer. Staying in a job we hate, being spoken to poorly, the one-hour commute… you know the kind.
All too often we allow ourselves to slip into the belief that ‘good things happen to us and bad things are our fault’ or that ‘we have no choice’. We always have a choice. Even if the choice is to do nothing. Don’t get me wrong, doing nothing is not always a bad thing, unless the choice of doing nothing leads to the situation getting worse. That’s why the only good choice is a conscious one.
Photo courtesy of Letizia Bordoni – Unsplash
Creating options creates choice.
When coaching clients, part of my role is to help them discover, explore, and develop options.
Knowing you have options is empowering. And can even be invigorating.
It can empower us to design a way forward that suits our needs, wants and capabilities, and it assists us to achieve our goals.
Create space for choice
Allow your creative mind to explore. List all options as they come to mind without judgement. You may not take action on any one of the ideas on your list however together they may combine to inspire a suitable option.
Ask yourself questions like
What could I do in this situation / to achieve my objective?
What would ‘someone I respect’ do if they were in my shoes?
What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?
Psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote about the negative consequences (including anxiety) of having too many options in his book The Paradox of Choice (Why more is less). The paradox of choice is that; when we have too few choices, we feel stuck and when we have too many, we experience a ‘decision making paralysis’.
We are looking for between 3-5 options. Be patient and stick with it asking, ‘what else…?” until you reach your quota.
When done, review your options and consider which will best satisfy your objectives; you can then set about creating an action plan to bring the idea to reality.
I’m not saying it will be easy, but it will be easier. The mental and emotional energy that is released when you feel you have choice in your life, will enable you to move forward with more physical energy.
“If a person sees no benefit to change, they will not change ~ Byron Pulsifer”
Hold your objective or goal in mind and be clear on why you want it. Whether it is a new job or a healthier lifestyle you need to engage your personal motive to bring the energy and endurance for the journey.
Whether personally or professionally, taking time to consider your options means you can design your own pathway forward; toward the life you are wanting to live and the goals you are seeking to achieve.
Go on - get your ticket to freedom for choice and take another step toward creating a life you love.
I’ll be posting every weekday in August. Follow me to benefit from my Adapt in August series and build your capability for adapting to change.
Keep well,
Vicki
My business is helping you with yours…
If you would like further information or to arrange some support in building this skill please don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to helping you build your success your way.
Yours in success,
Vicki
