Most people don’t consider how difficult it is to make a decision.

I think this is largely due to the fact that very few people know what it really means to decide something.

Sitting down to map-out how to start a business is not the same thing as deciding to do it. Creating a long list of creative ideas for marketing campaigns, or perhaps the desire to use social media to enhance customer service for your organization also are not decisions. Neither is setting a goal to lose 10 pounds before Thanksgiving, to move out, to file your taxes, to find a companion to share your life with or give back to your community. These are all examples of hopes, dreams, concepts and ideas, but not decisions.

Decision-making is difficult, because decisions require action. Often times, they require action we’ve been putting off because we presume the work is tedious or unpleasant.

In short, many of us create mental barricades around the action needed to make our dream or idea a reality, because while we want to fulfill our dreams – we associate too much pain, frustration or fear (sometimes all three at once) with taking the first step.

One way around this is to flip the pain, frustration or fear you feel to NOT taking action. Think of all the things you will end up denying yourself in the short-term and the long-term.