Do you ever find yourself knee-deep in a situation and think, “Oh, snap! How did I get here?” Or do you get all these ideas and jump into action before you stop to think about whether God has called you in that direction? You’re not alone, friend! When it’s time for me to make a big decision, I always want to rush through the process and get straight into the action, but let me tell you: it doesn’t work! So today, I’ve got 4 things you need to do before you make a big decision so you don’t jump in and have regrets later.
Before You Make a Big Decision, Do These 4 Things
I like to take big action and sometimes big action is not the right decision. It’s incredible to take big audacious action in your life and in your business, but not without these four key, critical steps. I discovered in the last month or so that I really made a big mess of things in my business, specifically in my operating system, because I tend to act quickly before I have a strategic plan in place. Sometimes I act before I discern. Then I’m running in circles trying to figure out if this was a good decision, my team is trying to catch up with me, and it’s a hot mess express.
I have made a commitment to myself to do these four things before I make a big decision in my business and I wanted to share them with you. I think it will bless you and help you stay focused on the right things moving forward.
1.Take some time to pause before you make a big decision
If you’re like me, you see something as an opportunity or a great idea and you run straight at it. That can be great, but it can also get me off God’s plan for my business because I’m not pausing long enough to move through these next three steps. Pause so you can be discerning and clear-headed and make an educated decision.
2.Pray when you make a big decision
When we’re excited about something new, emotion will rise up and we’ll just move on it. I will not make a big decision without thoughtful prayer. “Lord, is this the right decision to make? Should I move forward with this?” We’ve got to bring God into every choice and decision. And even if I haven’t heard from God, I will move forward and trust that if it’s not right, He will absolutely make that clear. I continue to pray as I’m moving and I’m trusting that He will make the way clear.
3. Seek Wise Counsel
“Without counsel, plans fail. But with many advisors, they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22).
Who are the people you can trust, who you can lean on when you make a big decision in your business? Thoughtfully. Prayerfully. Biblically. I have my mastermind, some people I personally coach with, friends, and of course, my husband. Sometimes I will even turn to my team and say, “I’ve paused, I’ve really thought about this thing, I’ve brought it to God, and now I’m bringing it to you to see what your thoughts are. Do you think this is a wise choice? Is this is a sound investment? Do you think I should stop doing A, B, or C?”
There are so many things I think are great decisions that my wise counsel has kept me from running into like a freight train. They’ve probably saved me tons of money and lots of fixing things. Who are those people for you? Who are the three people you can turn to when you need wise counsel?
4. Plan your next steps
Let’s say it’s a yes, don’t just start moving. Don’t start shooting off emails. Don’t just say yes and leap in. This is what I’m most guilty of. This is one thing I failed at this year: taking action before I had done these three things and then failing to plan. You can ask my team how that feels. I say we’re going to do this thing and there’s no plan. There’s no system. There’s nowhere to see the steps and know who’s doing what. It’s not a scalable model.
If I’m trying to build a million-dollar business, it has to be well-planned out, I have to be stellar at execution, and I have to be serious about making sure that every decision I make in this business is not just for me. My decision has to be for the team as a whole, and everyone needs to know each step to make this successful. There’s clear communication. There’s one operating system and everything is a well-oiled machine.
I’ve committed to these four things and I encourage you to write them down. Before you make a big decision, lean into these four steps: Pause, Pray, Seek Wise Counsel, and Plan. It will help you feel more at peace and confident that you’re following God’s plan for your business.
Are you ready to partner with God, get clarity on your calling, and launch a successful online business and brand? This FREE Clarity workshop is for you!
The more I get to know my students and the more I participate in masterminds with my peers the more I’m starting to comprehend the overarching problem and prevalence of one, perfectionism, and two, overthinking.
Perfectionism keeps us in a place of constant consumption and learning. Redoing things over and over and thinking that we can’t move forward until they measure up to some elusive standard.
Why do I believe we need a morning routine? I believe you must have a morning routine because it helps you get into the mindset of productivity and purpose.
When we get right with God we: Renew Our Minds
Get Into the Word
Are Able to Live Our Life Guided by the Holy Spirit
The difference in how my day goes when I do my morning routine and when I don’t is night and day.
Have you ever driven through a part of your city and felt completely overwhelmed by the destruction and devastation and how dark the world is?
I want us all to find strength in the word. Let’s look at what the Bible says about our feelings, emotions, and honestly, the reality we’re faced with right now.
As a Christian entrepreneur, you can include your faith in your podcast without niching down to Christian women. This blog gives three tips on how to do this.