Changing careers. Increasing income. Improving relationships. Living on purpose.
Taking any of these major course changes on starts with doing something different. We’ve all heard the saying ‘look before you leap’ and as adults that often means go do research before you do anything!
I am a big researcher and often joke that Google is my best friend. I can easily get stuck in analyzer mode, comparing my options and embracing my need to learn everything I can about a topic before I write a single word or take even the smallest action.
And that is just for small stuff!
In my business I speak with many people who are stuck in different places, research mode comes up particularly often in sales conversations. The person I am speaking with is often comparing and contrasting different courses of action, different ways to make money, if coaching itself is the right thing.
Yet many of these people never buy from me or anyone else. Because they never buy they also never create lasting change in their lives or career.
There are always more options, more opportunities to explore. And stepping into major life change is never a sure thing, so it’s important to not jump in blindly. I get that.
I make follow-up calls often times years later (the fortune is in the follow-up) and many folks are still thinking about making a change. They are going to try one more free training or take on one more miserable client project and then make the decision….always hoping for different results.
What I hear is they are stuck thinking and researching and not getting anywhere with their life.
I was telling a respected friend about a new client of mine. He asked me how long I spoke with her before she agreed to work with me (which was less than 30 minutes) and then asked me how often my successful clients made quick decisions like that. The truth is most of my successful clients make decisions quickly.
Most successful business leaders I know make a decision quickly, decisively, and then stick with it to make it the right decision. They are clear on what they want and open to see and receive the opportunity when it presents itself.
Why do we get stuck researching?
Because we don’t trust ourselves to take the next step.
We want to make ‘the best’ decision and we let fear, perfectionism, and insecurity stop us in our tracks. The research trap is sneaky because we feel like we are being smart and we are working towards our goals, but in reality we are spinning our wheels in one spot.
How do you break through the research trap?
One effective solution is setting timers for yourself. This can vary depending on what you are researching. You can set 15 minutes for researching an article topic to a few days or weeks if making a big decision. Set your deadline, do your research, and if you still aren’t sure what next step to take let it go for now. It’s amazing how letting go can bring the answer quickly and often organically.
It’s then your job to be open to seeing/receiving it, and stepping into it.
Amazingly, sometimes that’s when I’ve been known to make a follow-up call.
Are you ready to become more aware of your life’s possibilities? I encourage you to step into the Your Dream Life free training and learn the 7 steps to creating Your Dream Life now!