3 tips to zig zag forward

I recently had a conversation with one of my colleagues about making #business #decisions. My colleague used a #metaphor about how you cannot continue to swim in the middle. You need to choose on which side you will swim: left or right. Not choosing means drowning. So, you have 2 options: left or right. One's right, one's wrong. Left can be right too. Both can be wrong. Both can be right.

The metaphor was appropriate during that conversation, however it did not feel quite right (pun intended). As usual, I needed some processing time as I could not exactly point out what was bothering me. I know now.

The underlying assumption of this metaphor seems to be that there is only one real decision that can be made even though it seems as if there are 2: you get to choose 1 side. So that is 1 potential decision and thus not a real option. Moreover, limiting the number of options to 2 rules out other options and creates a #dilemma. I can see at least one more option: #zigzag. Choose both sides. #Reconcile #options and create new ones. By the way, if you ever need to run from a wild boar then remember to zig zag away. A wild boar cannot turn his head quickly and thus will have trouble in following you. Yes, I learned this in #Poland. Without injury. I.am.lucky.

What I am trying to say, is that there are always more than 2 options. Listing down all the options, even the unrealistic ones, can provide immediate #stress #relief and will lead to better #decisionmaking. In personal life ánd in corporate life. It requires some creative thinking, that is where the "backward" comes into play. Your right-sided brain lob needs to get activated to see more than 2 options.

Here are a few other #tips that help me in my decision-making processes ánd in managing my #inner #conversations:

1. Accept that life is not a straight line forward. Always stay ready for when life takes an unexpected turn. Or when your body tells you that it is time to take a turn. When your body turns, your mind will follow. Listen to your body.
2. Action is for me the only way to manage my endless inner conversations. Action does not need to be fast or efficient. I still remember a key-note speech from Peter Kerstens in which he used the notion of a #slow #bike #race to convey the message that slowness allows to move forward in a stable manner. And how important it is to #safeguard #financial #stability over the #quest for #speed. In the same vein, what matters is that you action your #walking #head into becoming a #walking #body again. Slowly but steadily.
3. Look for the opportunity in every situation. If the situation is too painful to do so, then #trust that things will turn out well. Trust that #life #is #meant #to #be #meaningful. If needed, trick your mind by imagining that the opportunity will eventually show itself.

The image of zig zagging your life forward in a stable manner gives me rest when I need it. It reminds me that I cannot control life. I need to go with the flow. This image also awakens a more compassionate version of me. Many of my deadlines are self-inflicted ones. So, I had better #focus on the ones that are inflicted by others ;-)

Dr Audrey-Flore Ngomsik Inés Pintaluba Renouard Dominiek Braet