Decision Making: From Fear-Based to Purpose-Aligned

Research and studies on human behavior have documented that we make 80% of our decisions in life based out of fear rather than our desires. Incredible statistic, isn’t it? I spoke at a networking group of business owners a few weeks ago about how to make decisions that are purpose-aligned rather than fear-based. My approach to purpose-aligned decision making comes from my varied experiences as marketing consultant, yoga instructor, and business/life coach. And so we walked through each.

Purpose-aligned decision making from the perspective of:

Your yoga instructor.  We began with a meditation – eyes closed, in a comfortable, seated position with both feet on the floor. This quote comes from Sarah Ban Breathnach and says:  “Each time you experience the new, you become receptive to inspiration. Each time you try something different, you let the Universe know you are listening. Trust your instincts. Believe your yearnings are blessings. If you are willing to step out in faith and take a leap in the dark, you will discover that your choices are as authentic as you are.” ‘Nuf said.

Your personal/professional coach. When I work with people who feel stuck in their lives, I always start with what is at the “heart” of the matter. That is, what are your dreams and desires?  What are the things that you are most passionate about? What could you do for hours without noticing the time? These things are your “purpose” in life. Put a bookmark there for a moment.

Your marketing consultant. When working with companies and businesses that need to get a handle on their sales and marketing, we always begin with a marketing plan. It helps map out a company’s vision/mission, goals, target audience and tactics for successful marketing execution. We can use the same format for our own lives in order to help us take action and make decisions that are purpose-aligned. Think of it in terms of four boxes:

1.       Dreams and Desires (Vision/Mission)

2.       People in Your Life (Target Audience)

3.       What You’re Aiming For (Goals and Objectives)

4.       How You Live Your Life (Tactics)

Look back to your discoveries around your dreams and desires and the things you are most passionate about – a.k.a. your purpose. This is the vision/mission for your life. Your target audience is the people you love, interact with, and want to be with. Your goals and objectives are those things that you’d like to do with your life, and the tactics are how you live your life in accordance with the people you love and your purpose. In other words, what you do each day to satisfy the purpose/mission/vision for your life.

Now, decision making becomes rather simple. When confronted with a decision, instead of moving to the fear-based response (which is almost always an “if/then” response that feels forced or limiting), ask yourself if it is aligned with your four boxes: your dreams/desires, the people in your life, what you’re aiming for and how you want to live your life. If you can say yes to each of these, then it’s a no-brainer. If you can’t say yes to each of them, it’s time to explore how that decision isn’t in alignment and if you can get it to a place of alignment. Then, move forward with confidence! 

If you'd like to receive a copy of the purpose-aligned worksheet, send me an email.