What is the Main Factor Driving The Decisions You Make?
Have you ever stopped and thought to yourself, “Why do I make certain decisions?” After all, our lives are just one decision that we make after another which eventually leads us to where we are today. Some choices are small and don’t take much thought such as should I brush my teeth (Spoiler alert: you should) or should I add an extra scoop of protein powder to my protein shake. Some choices and decisions are much bigger such as moving somewhere new, getting married, having kids, and deciding on a career. So, what is our main motivator when we make decisions?
To Avoid Discomfort!
That’s right, we don’t even make our decisions to seek comfort. Rather, we make our decisions to avoid discomfort. We would rather not be uncomfortable than to be comfortable. This is because being uncomfortable can be an extremely terrifying feeling for most people. For example, many people don’t take that chance to quit their job and start their own business. The consequences if things don’t go right can lead to a lot of uncomfortable situations. It is typically why a person will make “safe choices” even when the other route can lead to potentially better results.
We live our lives and make our decisions, not to seek comfort, but to avoid discomfort.
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Put yourself in uncomfortable situations
If you are aware of what is impacting your decision-making process, you can make a conscious effort to manipulate and improve it. The best way to do this is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations from time to time.
This is because being uncomfortable can sometimes be a good thing. It can even be a great thing. Uncomfortable situations help us grow as we adapt to them, teaching us new skills and valuable information about ourselves in the process as well. If you always stay in your comfort zone, you cannot grow as a person, and you will not be able to become the best version of yourself.
When is the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? Try to do one thing this week that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Seek discomfort!
Best,
Eric
