In my coaching practice I often encounter clients who come to me for changing careers, jobs, or some aspect of their professional life. Often, I am successful in understanding their issues, helping them create options, and guiding them through their transition.
Often, the real problem comes when there are multiple options: a choice between two very different careers, choosing between two or more equally appealing companies to work for, selecting the right option between pursuing higher studies and landing a plum job.
In most of these cases my clients go through a detailed analysis of their options. In the case where a client has multiple job options they will analyze the salary package, promotional possibilities, a company’s competitive position, market trends, and so on. Once they have armed themselves with these analyses they come to me with their preference, which is often a result of picking something based on pure analysis.
But, when I ask them how do they feel about working at the company—or the boss—they have selected, sometimes the response I get from them is different from the one stemming from the pure analysis of the parameters they chose to dissect. As we get in a deeper discussion about their feelings, if there is a conflict between what the analysis (logic) indicates and what their feeling (heart) prompts they often feel paralyzed by their inability to choose between what their mind is telling them and what their heart is prompting them.
It is here when I intervene and ask them to listen to their gut (intuition). In my view your gut derives its signals from your intuitive powers. In most cases your intuitive powers have the ability to dig far deeper than any complex analysis, and any emotional sense you may have about a decision. Intuition is a gift that we all have, and it comes from synthesis of many factors that go beyond merely what your mind and heart can fathom. It often comes as a flash!
In most cases when they are confused between competing options, after listening to the logical (mind) and emotional (heart) components to choose from, the winning choice for the client comes from listening to their intuition (gut). So, when you are faced with a difficult choice between competing options, here is my guidance on how to come to the right decision:
- If you have many options from which to choose, discard those that are unworthy of any further consideration and narrow your choice to a select few.
- Do a thorough analysis of each remaining option through rigorous breakdown of elements that have impact in your life now, and in the future.
- Consult your loved ones and share your analysis, and why that is prompting you to choose the best option so far. Present your conclusion to those, who are going to be affected by your choice, and have an open discussion of the pros and cons.
- It is at this point that you need to bring in the feeling factor (your heart) in the decision-making process. Your family members will give their inputs based on their own needs and how they see you in your everyday relationships with them now and in the future (when you make the impending change).
- If there is conflict between what your analysis (mind) is prompting you to do, and what your feelings (heart signals) are suggesting as a result of your discussion with your family, it is time to rely on your intuition.
- Go away and reflect on the pros and cons of your decision based on your analysis and your feelings, and meditate on the possibilities in the privacy of your own thoughts.
- Consult an expert—in the matters of job and career, a career coach—and present your thoughts using the expert as an objective sounding board. Let the expert challenge you in your assessment of which choice would be best. Do not let the expert dictate you the final choice. If they do walk away from them.
- As you get involved in coming to the right decision you will often have a sudden flash of new insight (your intuition is now kicking in), which will give you a very different perspective of what the change means, and what the right change to make for you is.
- Loop back with your family and share your insight. Let them share their thoughts about your insights. At this point you must listen to all inputs with care. At this point you may be surprised to learn how your intuited decision suits everyone’s agenda.
10. Once you have gone through these steps you are ready to make the final decision. Go ahead and take the plunge, and do not look back. In most cases a decision so made will be the best one for you.
Good luck!