We make decisions every day, often unaware of the role or impact they have in our lives – and the lives of others.
Why? Because we hold assumptions and beliefs about the world around us. Those assumptions and beliefs can limit us by crippling our ability to make decisions that allow us to thrive.
When the world around us is filled with noise, confusion and upset, many things get stirred up inside of us. This makes it really challenging to think clearly, examine assumptions and challenge our own beliefs. In other words, you need space to make good decisions.
We want to make good decisions and be successful but we get into a habit of doing and pushing forward because our complex, high-responsibility jobs require it. So, tending to the space in between gets pushed off until another day.
Tending to the space in between the doing is critical. If you rush through it, distracted by the multitude of noises around you, the quality of your reasoning suffers. When you don’t have the space to fully think through what’s required to fulfill your vision you to make poor decisions. And you’ll be hard pressed to find an innovative solution.
Creating space to think gives you the psychological freedom to think in a deep way about yourself and your relationship to the world around you. In order to do that properly, you need to dedicate time to clear your head so you can access liminal space (the space for threshold thinking, the point between ‘what was’ and ‘what’s next’).
According to Derek Draper, author of Create Space: How to Manage Time, and Find Focus, Productivity and Success, the space needed to make good decisions requires:
- Space to Reflect – mulling over the deeper meaning of our situation and what to do next isn’t a luxury; it’s a practice to improve the quality of our thinking.
- Space to Learn – our world is constantly changing which brings about more uncertainty and complexity, we need time to integrate what we’re learning so we can experience those “Ah-Ha!” moments which lends itself to greater innovation.
- Space to Decide – our reflections and learning bring clarity to our vision. In the space of deciding, we turn our thoughts into action which will have a great impact on our lives and the lives of others.
When you create space to think and make good decisions, not only do you feel more confident but the depth, breadth and quality of your thinking improves. You’ll notice it and so will others.
If you long for space to reflect, learn and decide, the Walk with Wisdom Virtual Retreat may be just what you need. This is one way I hold space for you to explore the world around you with fresh eyes and find clarity to challenging situations. The next Walk with Wisdom Virtual Retreat is happening Friday, September 25, 2020. If you’d like to discuss other ways to create space to think, you can schedule a free, no-obligation call with me.
