When you’re ready to take charge of your life, your business, your career… you really need to make sure that you make decisions effectively. It can be easy to react instead of plan, just managing the crisis of the day. With this reactionary mindset, you can easily lose track of your life goals and what’s important to you.

Here’s a simple acronym (which I am super excited that I came up with) to help you sort through opportunities and stay on track:

B: Be Bold

It is critical that you get clear on your big bold vision. Identify what you’re called to do, what you must put out into to the world, and stick with that. Clarify your vision – removing the clouds of self-doubt and fear – to make sure that you know which direction to head in. Being bold means not only having this clarity, but also having the courage to follow through, even when it feels vulnerable or overwhelming. When you know why you’re getting up each morning and what you’re setting out to do in this world, you have a strong foundation for every choice you make.

O: Be Objective

It is important to follow your dreams, but you still have to take care of business. Look at the logistics of what you’re setting out to do. How much time, energy, and money is required? Do you have that (or can you get it)? Is this the right timing? Is this time-sensitive or is it an opportunity or option that will come back around? Also, always look at what it will take for you to do it and what the return on investment (ROI) will be for you. Is it worth it? In business, the ROI can often be financial, but for you, it could be more time to yourself, more visibility for your mission or your company, it could be setting a great example for the next generation, or it could be having more time with your family. Identify what your practical investment (as well as you desired return on investment) will be, so you know what you’re committing to.

S: Be Selective

Once you have a clear sense on whether the opportunity lines up with your big bold vision and what the logistics are, you have to be really selective. You can’t do everything. Identify what it means to truly say yes to something. AND what you’ll have to say no to, if you make this commitment. When you look at the benefits of each opportunity, which are greater or more important to you? Look at your other values and priorities. For example, consider whether the opportunity will invade on personal time spent with family and if that’s important to you. Sort through and decide based on all of the factors. Commit to what works for you and say no to the rest.

S: Be Strategic

Once you’ve decided what you want to do, you’re only part-way there. You need to put a plan in place and implement it. So often when we decide to do something, we only think about the final stages or the big goal, not the tiny steps required to get there. This is like having a tall ladder with only the top rungs. No matter how high you jump, you’re not going to get to the top. That’s exhausting and ineffective. You need to identify each rung (or small step) that will lead you along the way. Put those steps as tasks in your calendar – schedule them – rather than creating a to do list that can gather dust while you wait for the right time to do them. Whenever possible, create habits and schedules that support what you’re trying to accomplish rather than making endless to do lists that just overwhelm you.

When you’re very thoughtful and make decisions like a BOSS, you’re better able to move forward with your big bold vision. Too often, indecision, hesitation, and even saying yes too often can keep you stuck without any momentum or burning out from doing too much. It is so powerful to make conscious decisions and implement your plans effectively. It can be the difference between living the life you want and spending your evenings, weekends, and vacations dreaming of what could be.

I love helping people bring their big bold visions into reality. If you’re feeling stuck and want a thinking partner to support you in becoming a BOSS, please don’t hesitate to schedule time for us to chat.  We’ll get you moving forward…like a BOSS!