just doot
It is absolutely imperative that you develop the habit of making decisions as soon as possible. I use a 60-second rule for almost every decision I have to make, no matter how big or important. Once I have all the data to make a decision, I start a timer and give myself only 60 seconds to make a firm decision. I think people too often delay making decisions when there is no advantage to putting them off. Many people probably spend more than 60 seconds just deciding what they'll eat for dinner.
Comments
Or within seven breaths (Hagakure, Book of the Samurai). 7 seconds is more glamourous than 60 seconds, I feel.
Posted by: gwen | December 4, 2004 6:25 AM
Agreed. But can every decision be made well in seven breaths?
Posted by: nedlog | December 4, 2004 3:44 PM
Not having read the Book of the Samurai, I guess the idea is that if you're at the point of making a decision, you presumably have all the information you need, and most likely (in my experience) you already know what you want to do; you've already decided subconsciously or intuitively or what have you.
We've been practicing this weekend and it's working well.
Posted by: sudama | December 4, 2004 7:40 PM
How big of a change is it for you?
Posted by: nedlog | December 5, 2004 8:29 AM
You can make excellent decisions in within seven breaths, and then take ten years to act on them in practice, I find. Good luck!
Posted by: gwen | December 5, 2004 7:11 PM
It's not much of a change for me. For me, it's about catching myself when I'm daydreaming about a decision, because I generally go from the gut, and know that I already know what I want to do. Lorraine has often bemoaned her indecisiveness, and this idea was really appealing to her. Maybe she can comment on how it's worked.
Posted by: sudama | December 9, 2004 10:19 AM