What is another obstacle to effective decision making?
RESISTANCE!
In the last newsletter, The 2 Biggest Obstacles to Making Effective Decisions, I identified the way to overcome fear and fatigue is to change your mental framework.
A mental framework is an explanation for how something works in the real world. It is the basis for your thoughts and actions.
It is the story you tell yourself. All the stories you tell yourself have a bunch of hidden assumptions.
Here are two mental frameworks. Choose one.
1 – There is a finite amount in the world and I have to get it now.
2 – Because I believe in an abundant and friendly universe, I practice mindful success every day, and I need never worry again.
These frameworks are two stories you tell yourself and they impact your decision making, what you think of yourself, and your ease of being.
Let’s say you have made a decision to choose framework #2.
When you begin practicing this new mental framework, you will encounter RESISTANCE.
It sounds like this….
“This is stupid. It’s not for me. I’ve tried this and it didn’t work. What if I try it and fail? Nobody else is doing this. I’m sticking with what I already know. I may be unhappy but at least I’m not uncertain.”
This inner dialog is normal and to be expected.
What is it?
You are building new neural pathways in your brain. Our brains are wired to resist change, to gain pleasure and avoid pain. It sees change as a threat. It has a positive intention in avoiding change: to keep you safe. That’s why all that chatter of ‘change back’ goes on.
Why is this important?
The goal is to help you improve your decision making by……….
- identifying the obstacles
- understanding resistance is normal and to be expected
- accept that your brain blocks out the good reasons why we are making changes in order to keep us ‘safe’
Next Steps
- Decide which mental framework are you going to choose today.
- Notice your thoughts and reactions to practicing mental framework #2.
- When you encounter resistance, use a curiosity phrase. Say, “Oh isn’t this interesting! I think I’m resisting applying a different mental framework.” This takes the judgment out of your learning.
