Decisiveness in the Face of Fear
Ever spend hours obsessing over a decision that should’ve taken five minutes?
You go back and forth. Overanalyze. Maybe even poll your friends for their opinions, hoping someone will just tell you what to do. Still, you hesitate.
Why? Because deep down, you're afraid.
Afraid of making the wrong choice.
Afraid of messing up.
Afraid that future-you will look back and think: Why did I do that?
Sound familiar?
Let’s talk about why that happens—and how to move through it.
Why It’s So Hard to Make Decisions When You’re Anxious
Here’s the thing: indecision rarely comes from lack of options.
It comes from fear.
Fear of failure.
Fear of judgment.
Fear of regret.
When the stakes feel high, your brain wants certainty. It wants guarantees. And when it can’t find any, it panics and hits pause.
But here’s what that pause actually does:
It keeps you stuck.
The longer you wait to choose, the harder it becomes to trust yourself. Your brain loops through every possible outcome, trying to outsmart discomfort. But there’s no way to perfectly predict the future. There’s no algorithm for the “right” decision.
So, ironically, the more you try to avoid risk, the more paralyzed you feel.
What If You Could Choose Without Needing to Be 100% Sure?
You don’t have to be fearless to be decisive. You just need tools that make the fear feel manageable.
Here are three I’ve used (and taught) with clients who struggle with overthinking.
1. Name the Fear
This sounds simple, but it’s powerful.
When you feel paralyzed, ask:
What am I actually afraid of?
What’s the worst that could happen if you choose wrong?
Say it out loud. Write it down. Then ask, how would I handle it if that happened?
Most of the time, the fear shrinks once you see it clearly. You realize it’s not fatal. It’s just… uncomfortable. And discomfort is survivable.
2. Use the 80% Rule
Here’s a mindset shift that changed the game for me:
If I’m 80% sure, I move.
Not 100%. Not even 95%. Just 80.
Because perfection is a mirage. You never get all the information you want up front. Real clarity often shows up after you act. Once you're in motion, you get feedback. You learn. You adjust.
But if you wait to be completely certain, you’ll wait forever.
3. Make the Next Best Choice
Forget trying to map out the whole future. It’s too much.
Instead, just ask:
What’s the next best choice I can make with what I know right now?
That’s it. You don’t need to solve your whole life. You just need to move forward one small step at a time.
Then reassess. Then move again. It’s not a straight line, but it’s momentum. And momentum builds confidence.
Final Thoughts: Every Choice Builds You
You don’t become confident before making decisions.
You become confident by making them.
Even the ones that turn out differently than you hoped? They still teach you something. They still count.
In fact, those “wrong” choices often become the turning points. The proof that you can survive, adjust, and try again.
So next time fear shows up at the decision-making table, you don’t have to wait for it to leave. Just nod, acknowledge it—and choose anyway.
Because staying stuck is the only decision that never moves you forward.
If decision anxiety is something you struggle with often, you're not alone.
It’s one of the biggest mindset hurdles I work on with clients every single week.
In The Weekly Adjustment—my live coaching group for high-achievers who are tired of spinning their wheels—we work through challenges like this together. You get real tools, real support, and a space to finally move forward with more clarity and confidence.
Try your first two weeks free.
