I’ve always had a strong desire to be a high performer. In fact, that desire has led me on many occasions to bite off way more than I could chew. And you probably know where that led…frustration and falling short of my goals. ALMOST EVERY TIME. I was chasing random actions and schedules that didn’t necessarily align with me. However, prior to finding my own process that worked, I realized I had missed an important step along the way. I hadn’t gotten serious enough to make a quality decision.
Let me be clear; everyday we make many decisions. What we will eat, what clothing we will wear and how much time we will spend watching TV. Our days are filled with continuous random decisions, but that’s not the kind of decision I’m talking about. A quality decision has the ability to highly alter our lives. For example, who I decide to marry is going to have a huge impact on my future and requires a quality decision. There is a lot of weight that goes into making that kind of commitment and much has to be considered. Does this person align with my values? Do they have the right character? How do they handle conflict? These are all important facts to consider and not to be taken lightly.
For me, I had to make a quality decision in terms of how to structure my time, priorities and focus to be a successful entrepreneur. It was no longer enough to have a 9-5 mindset and succeed on this new level. Things had to change so I made a quality decision that was going to impact my future greatly and I haven’t looked back.
What’s really important to you? What impending changes are holding you back from reaching your next level of success?
“A quality decision is a decision that there is no going back from. No retreating and no excuses.”
Once you’ve made that quality decision and put your stake in the ground, there’s a few things to be aware of that will show up and try to challenge your decision.
Put your feelings in their place.
Our feelings are fickle and can easily lead us astray on a daily basis. All too often we allow our feelings to guide us and make decisions that we know aren’t aligned with our goals. If I’m having a bad day and things have gone south, it’s easy for me to pick up a bag of chips and plant myself on the couch in front of the TV. After all, don’t I deserve to ‘feel better’?
Or what if there is someone in my life I know I need to forgive, but my feelings are telling me that I’m justified in holding a grudge or hanging on to bitterness. After all, they did a terrible thing! The truth is, by me holding on to that anger and unforgiveness, I am only hurting myself, not the other person. In this case, my feelings are justifying my actions and ultimately, I’m the one who will pay the biggest price. I will go so far as to say that our feelings have the ability to lie to us. When I get up early in the morning to workout, my feelings are often telling me to sleep a little longer and stay comfortable. I have to override those feelings with thoughts of being strong, energetic and healthy in order to accomplish my goals. I have to picture my end goal while my feelings are telling me otherwise.
Remember, you are in charge and you can tell your feelings what to do. Eventually, your feelings will catch up with your quality decision. This is incredibly empowering and this point alone can result in big changes for your life.
Write the vision. Make it plain. Speak it out.
Keep your decision and goal in front of your eyes! It’s easy to think we’ll remember in our heads what our goal is, however, when we write it down, look at it daily, and speak it out loud, it helps rewire our thinking around it. It helps rewire old narratives that aren’t serving us very well. You’ve taken the time and energy to write it down. It’s more than a fleeting thought. You’re serious about this even when it’s hard. Decide the best places to keep your quality decision in front of your eyes. For me, the bathroom mirror is great because it’s the first thing I see when I get up and the last thing before I go to bed. Put it in multiple locations where you can’t escape it! When the going gets tough, have the vision easily accessible to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Set yourself up for success.
This is where accountability and grace come into play. Decide what works best for you (because everyone has a different currency) in terms of keeping on track. Have a plan in place before things get difficult and you’re tempted to quit. Remember, a quality decision is one that you are committed to and will not abandon. Consider who you may want to partner with on your journey that has your best interests at heart and will keep you accountable. Or double up; find a friend/partner as well as a Life Coach to ensure you have all your blind spots covered, and who will also extend grace and encouragement for when things get difficult. Tell them the weightiness of your quality decision and how serious it is that you don’t quit. When you slip and fall, forgive yourself, dust off, and keep going! A quality decision doesn’t mean it’s a perfect one, but it’s one that you are committed to seeing through.
My challenge to you: Make one quality decision this week and see where it takes you!
About the Author
Kim Westlund is a Certified Flourishing Life Coach, Entrepreneur, Speaker and Moderator and is the Founder of Channel One Productions and The Business B-Side Podcast. Kim’s diverse career and leadership roles have spanned over 30 years in corporate and not-for-profit companies, from numerous world-class performing arts theatres to aligning innovative community partnerships in the banking industry. Kim gained recognition as a leader in the business community facilitating impactful discussions with successful entrepreneurs for Postmedia Network. Kim is a natural connector and is passionate about people and helping them thrive in life and business.
Kim lives in Calgary, Alberta with her husband Doug, beautiful daughter Jayda and Oscar, their sweet, feisty and hairless dog, and very excited to bring her extensive coaching and training skillset to the table as a Facilitator for the Certified Flourishing Coaching™ Program. Kim will facilitate the Certified Flourishing Coaching™ Program in Lethbridge, Alberta and other locations.