How to make career decisions with confidence

How easy do you find it to make decisions?

If you’re anything like me, the answer to that question depends on the decision and the potential impact of that decision. It’s easy (relatively) to decide what flavour ice cream to buy. But not so easy when you’re trying to figure out whether to apply for internal promotion, change industry or go freelance.

Three reasons I get stuck

When I get stuck on a decision, it’s usually for one of three simple reasons:

Not enough information
Too much choice
I’m scared of getting it wrong

Scared of getting it wrong?

Some of the women I have talked to recently have been stuck on decisions about work and career. Today I would like to share with you a technique that works when you’re stuck on a decision because you’re scared of getting it wrong.

It’s a series of four simple questions that I use with my clients when they’re stuck and that I use myself too.

Should I leave my career and go freelance?

For the purpose of the activity, we will take a real life example that crops up quite frequently for my clients: do I leave my current employer and go freelance, or stay where I am?

Before you start

Find yourself a quiet space and time. Grab pen and paper. Then ask yourself the four questions below IN THIS ORDER.

Jot down your thoughts. Write instinctively. The first ideas that come into your head. Don’t stop to edit your thoughts. Don’t worry about ‘should’ or ‘should not’.

The questions

Question 1 – What would happen if you DO make that change and leave?

Question 2 – What would happen if you DON’T make that change and leave?

Question 3 – What wouldn’t happen if you DO make that change and leave?

Question 4 – What wouldn’t happen if you DON’T make that change and leave?

These are known as Cartesian questions. It’s a way of asking questions to open the mind to alternatives and new possibilities.

Bookmark this page and the next time you are stuck on a decision, try this exercise, then drop me a line and let me know the results.

Still stuck?

Sometimes it helps to talk decisions through with an objective friendly ear. If you want to talk through your career decisions with me, book your complimentary clarity call here.

Sometimes a simple conversation is all you need to get clear on what you really want then make the right decision. Of course if you want to work with me further, we can explore that too.