[Published on Huffington Post] Indecisiveness is a productivity and creativity killer.  It often leads to a syndrome known as analysis paralysis.  Fear of choosing the wrong thing, making the wrong decision is at the root of the problem for many people. And then there's overthinking.  It too can cause paralysis. There are some simple steps that can be taken to alleviate the stress of having to make decisions.  The more important the decision, the more important it is to consider getting some input from highly trusted mentors/friends.  Consider the following:

Okay...when did life get so complicated with so many choices about nearly everything?  Just look at the assortment of colors available in the image above. How is a person supposed to choose? Have you come up with a system to help you make a choice when faced with what seems like an insurmountable selection process?  If so then I NEED to hear from you.

I discovered I was indecisive quite by accident.

Quite a number of years ago, we set out to buy a sailboat.  The decision to do so came about after an adventurous trip around the eastern side of the Great Lakes in Ontario Canada.

Both my hubby and I had spent five weeks teaching summer school and our reward was to rent a cottage for a week on the shores of Lake Huron followed by this road trip.  We were exhausted when we arrived at the cottage and the location was spectacular with its world famous sunsets.  For all that week it was easy to think about making a cottage part of our summer experience.

Do you ever feel that making decisions is like walking a tightrope?  Do some of those decisions feel like you are out there without a net?  What's a person to do? It's not like you can stay walking the line; you've got to take the plunge - not literally - at some point. So how do you decide?  By using all the tools you have in your toolbox. And if your toolbox is empty or nearly so, then start by getting your tools.  Ones like these are a MUST: