This week I’ve been spending any free time I have working on editing my book – due to launch in Feb-Mar! At the request of my editor I have included in the first chapter a tool that I recommend for guiding decision-making called The Decision Grid.
As with everything I do as an Aligned Entrepreneur, I always use my tools on myself first! The Decision Grid has served me in deciding to move, to get married, and of course for practical things in business like whether to sponsor an event or invest in Facebook Ads, for example.
The decision grid is NOT simply about weighing pros and cons. In fact pro and con lists often come from our head and they completely miss what is going on in our heart, and they certainly don’t help us identify any Hidden Commitments that are keeping us from seeing what we really want to do.
When you work your way through the decision grid, you will actually become aware of what is really going on under the surface that is keeping you from simply knowing the right decision.
When something is fuzzy, or we feel frustrated because things aren’t working, it is generally because there is a Hidden Commitment running the show. Hidden Commitments are those subconscious beliefs we have, often from when we were children designed to keep us safe, that get in the way of our full self-expression.
For example, I knew I wanted to be a coach for years. Because I had a hidden commitment to looking smart, and I knew people would not think it was smart to leave my engineering career to be a coach, I stayed stuck in indecision.
Today I am sharing a video from a couple of years ago in which I teach the decision grid. Before you watch, think of a decision that you want to make. Phrase it as a yes or no decision, e.g. yes I will sponsor that event or no I will not sponsor that event. As you work your way through the grid, which has four quadrants, you will notice that your responses in one of the quadrants will likely hold more energy for you. It may even be triggering as you become aware of the belief that has been keeping you from making the decision! This is great news because once you become aware, your commitment is no longer hidden and you can make a new choice.