Navigating tough decisions
Making decisions at the right time is a super strength to keep your start up on the road to success. Though it is a struggle for almost all startup or scale-up founders. There’s simply a lot on their minds, and big decisions are often dragged along for a long period, holding back progress, growth, and consuming precious time and energy.
It is not uncommon for founders to share that they had been wrestling with certain decisions for months, or even years.. Once made, they experience a sense of relief, and looking back, all founders shared that they should have taken the decision much earlier on.
“Every time you make the hard, correct decision you become a bit more courageous, and every time you make the easy, wrong decision you become a bit more cowardly. If you are CEO, these choices will lead to a courageous or cowardly company.” – Ben Horowitz, Co-Founder and Investor from the VC firm Andreesen Horowitz
Almost every entrepeneur can name a decisions they had been carrying with them too long. It causes delay you and slows you down. More importantly it leads to overthinking and use of your energy and mindspace. When navigating a though decision take the following questions into account:
- Do you have decisions/problems/thoughts you have been carrying with you for ofer 2-3 months?
- Are you spending a lot of time thinking about these decisions or situations?
- What is holding you back to act, and what can you do about it?
- How much of your mindspace would be free’d up if you take these decisions?
- Will these decisions change over time?
- What is holding you back to act now?
Making a tough decision
To help you with decision making we have these three tips for you to start. Be also mindfull of the following:
- What first steps can you take? What do you already know, or can you already do. Set a deadline to force you to act and move forward.
- Speak-out: with your co-founders and team members and partner or trusted relation, to organise your thoughts, gain fresh perspectives, clarify priorities and act upon them.
- Discuss this with a coach or mentor, to break the pattern, evaluate your current priorities and personal goals, and adopt new behaviour.
Share your perspective and start today
So Founders can Thrive
We are excited about the journey ahead we are always looking for new insights and valuable connections to bring this further. It is crucial to learn from each other so we are very thankful if you are willing to share yours. Feel free to reach out to us to connect.
Discuss your personal situation with an expert
Feel the need to discuss your personal situation with a coach? As a experienced co-founder and coach for many founders and leaders in start-ups and scale-ups, Wouter can relate and provide actionable support.