How can a decision be a bad thing? Decisions are great right? They move us forward, they change the world, without decisions we’d be nowhere. Well let me introduce you to the decision trap.

The decision trap is the point at which you placate yourself by making a decision. Let me create a scenario for you. You just got up from a really big lunch, you’re feeling good, you’re full, but you’re feeling a little guilty, so you make the decision that starting tomorrow you’re going to cut out the carbs. Protein and veggies all day, it’s going to be great! And you’re going to keep that going for 2 solid weeks! It’s going to be amazing! After all you’re mind is set, You’ve made the decision. And now you feel good about yourself.

What I have just described is the decision trap. The decision you just made is absolutely useless it will last, at best, until tomorrow morning when you wake up and then it will be thrown out the window.

Beware of the trap. But how can you tell when the decision, is a solid one, that has some substance to it? Well one way is to call your self on the game. If you are sitting on the couch telling yourself you will start working out tomorrow, get up and go walk, even if it’s just for 10 minutes, reinforce the decision you just made with “action”. That is how you break the cycle.

When you make a decision, be careful that you are not just making yourself feel better at that moment, you’re brain is so smart, it knows all the tricks. The decision relieves your guilt and makes you feel better. By recognizing the pattern and calling yourself on it you can stop the habit, simply but recognizing that it is happening.

Once you make a decision, the next step is to take action, even if it’s a tiny little step, that reinforces the decision and will wake your brain up, that this is more then just “smack” you’re talking here. If you make the decision to go on a diet tomorrow and you immediately go to the grocery store and purchase said items for the diet, you’re brain will start to go “hey maybe she’s serious”.

Step #1 making the Decision to do something. This is actually the easiest, of the steps.

Step #2 Taking Action, taking a step in the direction of that decision. At this point you will probably meet with a little resistance, that is normal. Picture the universe, sending you a little test. It’s asking you “Are you sure this is something you really want?” That’s when you push back and twice as hard and say “Yes!” And like magic at that point it will get much easier.

Step #3 Follow through- Follow through is everything!

There’s a saying that goes. You don’t make the decision to jump out of a plane until you’re floating in the air.

So now that you’re in camp, make sure you follow through! Teach yourself that your decisions mean something. Your word needs to mean something to you, first and foremost!

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