Decision Deadlines: Why Your Most Important Choices Need an Expiration Date

Libra here. Yup, that’s me.

Constantly combing through every detail before making a choice:

• Spreadsheets

• Pros and Cons lists

• In-depth surveying of friends

• Obsessing over the small stuff

  
  

Recently, I heard the saying, "not making a decision is worse than making the wrong decision.” And you know what?

Yeah.

Hell yeah.

So many mistakes/missteps can be resolved or at the very least, result in a learning opportunity. Movement and action breed movement and action. Stagnancy only makes space for more stagnancy.

As an entrepreneur, there’s so much that requires my attention - daily tasks that need to be completed, adjusted, handled and delegated. Sometimes, I get to the end of the day and simply cannot process any more.

Introducing: Decision Fatigue

Our brains get tired after making choices. It doesn't matter if you're choosing between job offers, outfits or what you're making for dinner – each decision drains the mental battery. If we’re being honest, most decisions don't deserve the mental real estate we give them. So I've developed a system that has literally changed my life.

The Decision Timeline

Every decision gets ranked on a priority list, and the important ones get a timeline. Period.

Decision Timeline Formula: Importance × Permanence = Time Allowed

Here's how it works in real life:

• Lunch choice = 2 minutes max

• New business purchase = 1 week

• Staff/Contactor hire = 1-3 months

• Life decisions = 6 months-2 years (but still set check-in dates!)

When your timeline expires, you MUST decide. Even if you're not 100% sure. Even if you're scared. Even if you're "not ready".

Not Everything Requires a "Committee Meeting"

Collecting endless opinions often creates more confusion, not clarity. Most people give advice based on what THEY would do – not what's best for YOU.

Opinion Collection Rule: Only seek advice from people who have

1. Achieved what you want to achieve OR

2. Know you deeply enough to understand your values

   
   

The family member who changes jobs every six months? Maybe not your career advisor.

The friend who's built a business similar to what you envision? THAT'S who you call.

The right choice is the choice that works for you. Don’t be afraid to make the wrong choice, especially if it’s something that can be reversed or worked through.

Wrong Decisions vs. No Decisions

We all know that person who has debated leaving their toxic job for several years, but still do nothing other than:

• Complain whenever they have the chance

• Take the stress home

• Cry in the staff bathroom

• Obsess over small details

• Resent their colleagues

• Feel overworked, under-valued and stuck

  
  

Why they stay, despite the countless reasons to leave?

Fear of making the wrong choice.

A wrong decision gives you data. No decision gives you nothing.

Think about it: even terrible decisions teach us something. They clarify our values, show us what doesn't work, and build our resilience. But making no choice? That just leaves us wondering "what if?"

The Permanence Factor

Not all decisions are created equal. Some can be undone easily; others leave a permanent mark.

• Level 1 (Easy Undo): Trying a new hairstyle, taking a vacation, buying something with a good return policy

• Level 2 (Fixable With Effort): Changing jobs, moving to a new city, ending a casual relationship

• Level 3 (Mostly Permanent): Career path decisions, marriage, having children, major financial investments

Level 1 decisions? Make them FAST. Give yourself permission to be wrong.

Level 3 decisions? These deserve more time and thought – but still need a deadline!

A Decision Detox Plan

Step 1: Decision Minimalism

Cut unnecessary decisions from your life:

• Create a capsule wardrobe/go-to outfits

• Establish routines for meals

• Automate recurring purchases

• Use templates for common work tasks

Each decision you eliminate preserves mental energy for choices that actually matter.

Step 2: The Decision Journal

For bigger decisions, keep a decision journal. Consider:

• The decision I need to make

• The deadline I'm setting

• The information I need to gather

• The core values this decision should honour

• How I'll feel if I don't decide by my deadline

Revisiting these entries months later is FASCINATING. You can learn so much about your decision patterns.

Step 3: The "Future Me" Test - WWFMD?

When I'm stuck, I ask: "What would my future self wish I had done today?"

This simple question cuts through the noise. Suddenly, the path becomes clearer. It’s a game changer.

A couple of months ago, I accepted a contract that I knew was out of alignment, but I wanted the money - justifying it as an additional income source. My future self quickly checked me, and the job that I started on Tuesday was resigned from by that same Friday, lol.

Closing Notes:

The more bad choices, good choices, and bold choices you make, the more confidence and trust you build in yourself. There's something so freeing about making a choice and moving forward – even if it's not perfect.

Here's the thing: perfect decisions don't exist. But timely ones? Those can change your life in more ways than you could ever imagine.

PRODUCT RECO: Decision Making Workbook

Get it HERE