Shifting mindset from passive to active decision making: Therapist shares tips

Not taking control of our own lives can bring difficulties. Not understanding how to embrace change and keeping on maintaining the same state of affairs mean that we give the opportunity to others to make decisions for us. Not taking decisions for us can have its own cost. "Every moment presents a multitude of choices and opportunities. When you refrain from making a decision, you are effectively choosing to forgo the potential benefits or consequences of the available options. This is often referred to as the opportunity cost of indecision. We tend to have a bias toward maintaining the current state of affairs. Not making a decision is often an endorsement of the status quo. If you don't actively choose change or progress, you're choosing to stay where you are," wrote Therapist Israa Nasir as she explained the importance of active decision making in life.

Here are a few ways to shift our mindset from passive to active decision making to have more control over the changes of our own lives:

ALSO READ: Things to keep in mind while making decisions with your partner

We're now on WhatsApp. Click to join

Recognise the consequences: We often believe that when we do not take a decision, everything stays the same. What we forget is that not taking a decision is also a decision. If we start to understand the consequences better, we will be more proactive in our choices.

Break it down: Taking big decisions at a time can be overwhelming. We should break them down into small steps and try to achieve one at a time.

Weigh your options: A great way of knowing if the decision is right is by weighing in the pros and cons. Knowing the advantages and the disadvantages, we are going to face by that decision helps us to lpan ahead.

Practice decision making: We need to build confidence for proper decision making by taking decisions that have low stakes.

Embrace failure: Knowing that not always we are going to be right and sometimes things may not work in our favour can help us prepare for failure as well.