Self Confidence In Decision Making
Do I rise up now or 5 minutes later? Do I wear the plaid shirt or the spotlessly white one? Ham or bacon? Everyday, we are consciously and unconsciously making choices through our decisions. Some are so routinary that they are automatically made without giving a thought, and then there are some that needs more time and concentration.
We also have major decisions to make that leave us paralyzed with indecision.
Probably the greatest reason why decision-making can be very intimidating is the fear of making the wrong choice. Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with the knowledge that our decisions not only affect us but also those who are around us that we tend to end up not making any decision at all. Fact is, choosing not to make a decision is already a decision – and choosing not to decide on the matter at hand at all out of fear of making the wrong decision is worse than making the wrong decision.
More often than not we hesitate about deciding because we’re not sure what the outcome of the decision will be. We naturally fear that which is not known to us, and we get too immersed with the “what if” and the possible ugly scenarios to make a choice. We are afraid that the wrong decision will cause a deluge of misery, and we are afraid that not only will our decision be wrong, but irreparable.
Such fears stem from the decision-maker’s lack of confidence. One of the most important traits a good decision-maker must have is self-confidence. It is basically an attitude that allows us to have both a positive and realistic perception of our innate abilities and ourselves. Self-confidence is characterized by personal attributes like assertiveness, enthusiasm, independence, optimism, trust, emotional maturity and the ability to handle criticism.
Confidence is learned, not inherited from equally confident parents. If you lack confidence in yourself, it may indicate that as a child, you suffered criticism, disapproval, or an unexplained tragic loss wherein you either blamed yourself or were blamed by others. The good news is, lack of self-confidence is not inevitably permanent, and the bad news is that it will be if not addressed.
External forces – culture, gender, family, religion, and society – are all factors that influence and contribute to our level of confidence. Confident people have found a sense of control in their lives, and believe that – within reason – they will be able to do what is it they desire, expect, and plan, no matter the foreseeable and unforeseeable complexities that may arise from various external forces. They have a deep faith in the future and can accurately assess their capabilities – which they rely on when making their decisions.
This faith is guided by more realistic expectations, of course, and even when a few of their goals are not met, the self-confident person continues to believe in himself and accepts his current limitation with renewed vigor. The self-confident continues to be positive – he knows that things will not always go his way, but he can work on it. Real confidence requires that you face the risk of failure constantly and deal with it.
A person confident of his mental capabilities and how he envisions the world around him will have no problem analyzing a situation and coming to a decision – a decision that he will abide with for better or worse. With self-confidence, you will choose what you believe is right, no matter how strong the opposition it meets. One of the reasons people prolong coming to a decision is for fear of inciting the displeasure of others; when you are confident, you don’t mind hostility – at times, you even welcome it.
Self-confident people know there are always risk and are willing to take them. They are not afraid of the risks their decisions bring along, and they would go the extra mile to achieve better things. Self-confident people see the sun behind the clouds, whereas those with low self-confidence think it’s night already.
Lastly, decision-makers with self-confidence admit their mistakes – and learn from them. There will always be something to be learned, and sometimes, what appears to be a bad decision may in time prove to be the right one. When that happens, he will simply smile and go on make another good decision.
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