"Must decide now and can't make a mistake"

Some folks believe there are no bad decisions.Af If you turn left
instead of right, you think you've made a mistake -- till you
realize this detour is actually a shortcut to the destination of
your dreams.

But if you're standing at a fork in the road, here are some
guidelines that others have found helpful.

1. Know who you are and what you want -- today. You spent a life
as the quintessential urban resident and now seek the
countryside. You enjoyed twenty years of law or medicine or
sales, and now you find yourself writing poetry and making time
to help a third-grader learn to read. Yesterday's decision rules
won't work any longer.

2. Be willing to walk away if you're not ready to sign on the
dotted line. You always have choices. If you're supposed to
have that house or that job, it will be there tomorrow.

3.Share your plans with friends, family and colleagues. Pay
attention to how you feel when you share. Pay less attention to
their reactions.

4 Uncertainty is a sign that you need more information. Talk to
people who have been there. Book knowledge and internet knowledge
will be outdated by the time you read it.

5. If you turn right, what is the worst that could happen -- a
year from now? Five years down the road? How does that compare
to the worst case scenario of turning left?


6. Some people sleep soundly when they don't know where they will
get the next mortgage payment. Others toss and turn when their
checking account falls below ten thousand dollars. When you live
in your own comfort zone, you attract more opportunity.


7, Decisiveness may be valued by your corporate or social
culture. In a transition, fast decisions can actually slow you
down. Most people have more energy for starting up than starting
over.

8. Intuition is your source of power. Keep your batteries
charged. Meditate, write in a journal, spend solitary time
outdoors. If you feel uncertain or intimidated, go away until
you feel stronger.

9. Don't dive right in. Dip a toe into the water. Warm? Start
wading. Do you find yourself waving good-by to the people left
behind? Are your toes curling happily into the wet sand? Or are
you finding sharp rocks, icy water and harsh tides? Do you feel
ready to take off and swim to the other side of the world? You
can still turn back, but do you want to?

10. Once you've committed to the decision, keep looking ahead.
One of my happiest friends says, "I don't agonize over a
decision. I assume whatever I chose is right for me and go full
speed ahead."

At the same time, remember that few decisions turn into a life
sentence. You can always review your new life, get out the maps,
and chart a new course for your future.

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. is an author, career coach and speaker.
She works with midlife, mid-career professionals who face
tough career and life decisions. Visit her
website, http://www.movinglady.com. Subscribe to a free
twice-monthly ezine http://www.movinglady.com/subscribe.html
Free teleclasses http://www.movinglady.com/classes.html


--
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Author, Career Coach, Speaker
*Fast Track to Career Freedom*
http://www.movinglady.com
505-534-4294 cathy@...