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Decisions are the “musts” that unlock the pathway to action. To do or not do can be a challenge whether in business or in life. Regardless of how you look at it though, making a decision is clearly a critical factor for success.
There is a story often told about a time before mechanical sorters were invented where an apple orchard manager needed a sorter to separate the orchard’s apples into proper categories. After evaluating his current employees, he decided to select the best picker he had. With knowledge of the various size apples, the manager felt the picker would be the most logical choice.
After assuming the role, the new sorter and former picker was placed in an area where the apples were stored. Before him were three baskets, each of a different size. The pickers would bring the apples and pile them on a huge table beside the sorter and he then was asked to place the apples into the various baskets based upon their size.
The manager had no challenge with his new sorter’s work ethic. He knew him to be an outstanding worker and that was a factor in his selection for the new post. With that assurance, the manager left the worker at his task and went into town to address some business. Upon his return, he was amazed to see a huge mountain of apples covering the table to the point that apples were tumbling into the floor. Before the former picker were the three baskets, still empty. The sorter sat with apples in hand and a puzzled look on his face. His challenge was he could not make a decision as to whether an apple was big, middle-sized or small. Therefore, nothing was accomplished.
In essence, making no decision can be a bad decision. Even a bad decision is better than no decision at all. Indecision most often stops your progress. In the example of our apple sorter, the manger’s decision to select him for the post, while not a sound decision, at least was a decision that the manager made which helped him conclude that the sorter was best as a picker.
Not all decisions you will make are going to be right. Don’t allow previous decisions, whether good or bad, to necessarily cloud your future decisions. Former president Harry S. Truman once said, “Whenever I make a bum decision, I just go out and make another.” The bigger issue is simply that based on factors presented, a decision was made.
In life and business, you will be required to make decisions. You can’t back away from that reality. Decision-making is quite a lonely undertaking at times. Quite often in your personal and professional life, you will find yourself as the anchor point for that reality. One way or the other, you must realize that you don’t get rewarded or compensated to make the easy decisions. Whether manager or sorter, your reward or compensation comes from what you do. As William James discovered, “There is no more miserable human being than the one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.”
Decisions guide efforts and build the roads that lead to achievement. So it is important for you to make the decision to make a decision. When that simple conclusion becomes part of your operating routine, you will find that life and business will indeed flow more fluidly as the obstacles that cloud your thinking are cleared away. Making decisions matter.
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