Stop Waffling: How to Make Decisions and Take Action

My family loves waffles, but I hate waffling.

What?!

You know that kind of decision-making where you flip back and forth like the yummy breakfast pastry. It goes something like this:

You make a bold decision:
“This is my year.”
“I’m going to get that degree.”
“I’m going to tell my boss what I really think.”
“I’m finally going to ask for that raise.”

Then… you rethink it.

You change your mind.
You worry about the risk.
You wonder how it will look.

And just like that, you back down. The momentum fizzles out, and nothing ever gets started.

You waffle.

Why Waffling Kills Momentum

Everyone does it.

Have you ever made a decision, then decided it needed more thought? You slipped into planning mode instead of commitment and action mode. You created a so-so, kind-of-gray message. You took wishy-washy action paired with lukewarm effort.

And what came back to you?

Gray.
Lukewarm.
Wishy-washy results.

You showed up gray in a world that already has plenty of gray areas.

When it comes to having a vision, setting a goal, and getting into action, there is no room to waffle. That’s why I hate waffling, and why I love what I do.

What Coaching Has to Do With Waffling

As a coach, I get to help people be their best selves. I help them dream their biggest dreams, and then I support them as they make those dreams come true.

Even when they want to waffle.

Especially when they want to waffle.

So… have you waffled lately?

Why Smart People Waffle

Why do people waffle?
Why can’t smart, capable people get what they want out of life every single time, especially when they have great ideas?

Here’s what’s really happening.

When you have a new or innovative idea, your brain doesn’t quite know what to do with it. The idea feels unfamiliar, and your brain likes things complete, logical, and predictable.

We even call these ideas “half-baked.”

So logic jumps in and says:
“Wait.”
“Slow down.”
“This needs more time in the skillet.”

And sometimes that’s true.

Some decisions deserve a second thought, like who to marry or whether the pool is deep enough for diving. But not every new idea is life-altering or life-threatening.

Most just require courage and movement.

Three Coaching Techniques to Beat Waffling

Here are three simple coaching techniques to help you stop waffling and start moving.

1. Trust Your Gut

Your first inclination is often your truest decision, the one most aligned with your happiness and values. We rarely give ourselves enough quiet space to actually hear that intuition.

Slow down long enough to listen.

2. Don’t Leave It Up to Luck

Take an action, big or small.

I learned years ago from my own coach that action is the best antidote to stress. Waiting and overthinking create anxiety. Movement creates clarity.

3. Flip to the Facts

When fear shows up, it often casts a much bigger emotional shadow than the reality of what might actually happen.

Get grounded by listing the facts:

• What do you truly know?
• What is assumed?
• What is imagined?

Clarity is freeing.

Stop Waffling

Stop the waffling now.

Schedule a call to get focused… with love and support.

Because your ideas deserve more than gray effort, and so do you.