Have you ever spent time with a person who couldn’t decide on anything? Someone who literally refused to pick a restaurant to eat at or who just never quite settled on which career path to pursue? An individual that was so cautious and afraid of making the wrong choice that they never made any choice at all? How frustrating was the relationship? How many times did you just want to grab them by the shoulders, shake them a little and scream, “Just make a decision, already!”

Most people think putting off making a decision is better than making the wrong one. While this is quite true in many ways, there comes a point where any decision starts to have better odds than no decision at all. Why? Because decisions propel us forward toward a destiny or a goal… and an even longer trip that requires a few detours or turnarounds still makes better time than a trip never started. Without decisions, we are simply a stalled car on the highway of life.

While most people experience some degree of decision-making phobia, this fear of choosing is really something that can hold you back from success. Did you know that many of the most profitable people in life give credit to their strong decision making skills for getting them where they wanted to be? It is true! Successful coach Tony Robbins once said, “Studies have shown that the most successful people make decisions rapidly because they are clear on their values and what they really want for their lives… People who fail usually make decisions slowly and change their minds quickly, always bouncing back and forth. Just decide!”

So why is making a decision so hard? Why do we so intently dread choosing a path or picking a side? In most cases, it has to do with a fear of the unknown. Each decision in our lives steers us in one direction or the other without any guarantee on what the road will be like. Even the most educated, talented and confident people in life struggle, or have struggled, with making decisions at some point or another. The secret, though, is to overcome the fears and just get started on a path.

What about regret and consequences? What happens when you leap in one direction and the floor falls out from under your feet? Well, after you stand up, brush yourself off and reflect on the lesson learned by the wrong choice. Then simply get back to work making new and better choices. Sure, you may deal with a few bumps and bruises as a result, but in the long run, you will get where you want to go… and have the scars to prove that you got there honestly.

Strong decision makers, like winners, are not born… but made. Being able to be decisive on the major things in life comes much more easily when you spend lots of time practicing on the small, seemingly insignificant things. What to buy? Where to eat? Which stock option to invest? With whom to spend the evening? While it may sound trivial or strange, focusing on being decisive in the small details of everyday life will build confidence in yourself and in your ability to make important choices.

So if you find yourself struggling in the area of decision making, or just want to continue to develop yourself in the skill, follow these three steps to start “working out” your decision-making muscles as you go through your day.

Decide Quickly… From The Gut

While some decisions may require time and research, many of the things in life with which we struggle do not. In fact, people often are nearly convinced of decisions until they begin to talk to others, then they let popular opinion cloud their judgments. By taking time to practice “from the gut” decision making without hesitation or deep meditation, you will alleviate many of the headaches associated with making a choice.

Don’t Waver… Trust The Gut

Second, you have to be committed to the decision that you make. If you try to move forward with a decision, all the while looking back at what the “what ifs” on the other path, you are setting yourself up for failure. Once your decision has been made, run with it as if it were the only choice ever presented.

Don’t Quit… See It Through

This third step is where a lot of people get tripped up. They make a decision, they head in that direction with all their heart, but they stop short of the goal because something distracts them or causes them to turn around in fear. You have to keep your eye on the prize and not stumble at every little obstacle that arises. Even the very best decisions in life come with challenges and roadblocks that have to be overcome.

Refuse to sit back on the sidelines of life, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, while your dreams, desires and your destiny pass you by. Make the decision today to take life by the horns and be decisive. Your future will thank you.