The High Cost of Doing Nothing

Cost is sometimes a difficult term to define. Here, we are not simply discussing cost as it relates to selling price, but rather opportunity cost. The web site, "Mentors, Ventures and Plans" defines opportunity cost as "The loss of the next best alternative whenever a decision is made involving two or more options". "Investing in Options" defines it as "Choosing the best alternative means that you can't choose the next-best alternative. Opportunity cost is the next-best alternative that must be sacrificed in order to get something else you want. Opportunity cost can be thought of as the road not taken." Inactivity, or doing nothing, is usually the highest price paid and is often associated with great opportunity cost. Inaction is usually the worst decision one can make, made from a base of fear.

Many of us freeze when facing decisions. For some reason, decision making becomes complex, paralyzing and even painful for many people. It should not be this way. Making a decision is simply the act of choosing between alternatives. You must learn to weigh the implications of each possible decision and choose the outcome that is best for you and all others involved. For example, when your telephone bill comes due, you may choose to pay it or not. There are real obvious consequences for both actions. The situation becomes more complex however, when our human emotions enter the picture. For instance; you are offered a new job and must decide to leave your current position and move your family to a new location, hundreds of miles away..

What we often fail to realize, is that delaying important decisions or simply not making a decision at all, are actions that often impact us with the highest opportunity costs and worst case scenarios. Inactivity, or the lack of a decision, is actually a decision made, although one seldom made in our best interests. In this case, we unfortunately transfer over control of our lives to external forces and circumstances. We are now positioned to be at the mercy and decision-making of others. This is not your best scenario. There are often unusually high costs associated with doing nothing.

Decision making is actually a skill set that can be learned and refined. Like all skills, entering into a new area as a novice requires practice and application in order to improve. Keep in mind that you will indeed improve! Start small, with less important decisions involving less than crucial outcomes and gradually make more decisions on matters of greater importance. Soon, you will have few if any issues with making decisions. Learn to start small and work your way up, gradually extending your comfort zone in this area. A by-product of learning these new skills is that your confidence will surely improve as well.

Decision making need not be frightening. Think of it as a process that is your own, shedding any external pressure that others may be applying. Take your time, get your facts and choose the outcome that works best for you. Do not allow yourself to fall victim to the high cost of doing nothing.

By: Daniel Sitter

Author Bio
Daniel Sitter is the author of the popular, award-winning e-book, Learning For Profit. Designed for busy people, his new book teaches simple, step-by-step accelerated learning skills, demonstrating exactly how to learn anything faster than ever before. Learning For Profit is currently available from the author's web site www.learningforprofit.com and a variety of online software and book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications. His expertise includes sales, marketing, self-improvement and general business topics.

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The One Choice That Changes Everything

There's one principle from unconscious psychology that is beyond powerful. Even if this is the only thing you learn from me, you'll quickly grow happier, wealthier, more productive and healthier.

You can use this to correct minor foibles or completely overhaul your life.

And it works in any domain - whether you're an athlete, business professional or someone looking for love.

Do this and you'll start spotting opportunities. It'll feel like magic, as if the universe is responding to your desires. These chances were always there but, for the first time, you start to pay attention.

It all comes down to a choice that anyone can make at any time.

The simplest and most powerful decision:

What do you choose to focus on right now?

Because in unconscious psychology, the Law of Attention says that whatever you focus on is what you get more of.

Pay attention to the good things and you get more of them. Focus on the bad and... well, you can get more of that, too.

This isn't some empty philosophy telling you to "think positive!"

It's solid psychology telling you to pay attention, right now, to what's working.

There are people who choose to focus on the negative. They criticise everything and everyone. An hour in their presence can make you want to punch something. They poke holes in every idea and explain how every achievement is really a failure.

And the strange thing is that these people are miserable.

Shouldn't they be happy? After all, in their minds, everything around them is broken. This makes them the lone hero, the voice of reason.

It makes them better than everyone else.

But no, they are bitter and miserable.

That's because they actively seek out (or create) negativity, so they wind up with more of it.

They focus on the bad stuff, so more bad stuff happens.

Don't be this person.

Then there are the genuinely joyful.

They see beauty and opportunity everywhere.

I'm not talking about being naïve or overly saccharine. When bad stuff happens, they accept it. But they choose to focus elsewhere.

In their mind, the world is full of amazing people doing great things. Isn't it humbling, even demoralising to live this way?

It turns out it's empowering. Focus on empowerment and that's what you get.

This choice you make with your conscious mind trains your unconscious. What you focus on teaches your mind what you want. If you pay attention to your successes in romance, then you'll follow opportunities to get more.

If you fixate on your failures, then it's time to rethink your mental strategy.

A practical strategy is to choose three times per day - morning, lunch and just before bed. Review your day and notice what worked. Pay attention to what you did right. If you made mistakes, then focus on what you can learn or what you did right within the mistake.

Do this until it becomes a habit.

Then follow the habit until it becomes your way of seeing the world.

This is the simplest mind training that you can do. Appreciate that its simplicity is a feature and do it.

It will lay the foundations for more advanced exercises.

Like those that Awakened Thought subscribers receive each month.

Take action to focus on your successes now:

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