I was in an car accident once when I was the passenger. I could see the accident happening right before me, and I was helpless to do anything about it. The person driving could have easily avoided the accident, but they froze up and could not seem to make a decision on what to do. They later said that the fear of doing the wrong thing caused them to do nothing. My thought was that just about anything would have been better than what they did which was just hang onto the steering wheel and hope for the best. The accident didn’t end up causing any bodily damage to those in either vehicle , but the car I was in was totaled and it looked like the other one probably was as well.

There are a lot of people who do the same thing in life. They are so afraid in a crisis or difficult situation of making the wrong choice that they make no choice at all. One of the major reasons that there are so many people who go nowhere in life, spiritually, occupationally, relationally, financially, and physically is because of indecisiveness. A corollary of sorts is the reluctance to change or try new things because of the fear of failing. Continuing to do the same old stuff that hasn’t worked but at least it is predictable is where many people live their entire life. I call it chasing your tail or treading water. There is the opposite of that, which is impulsiveness. Impulsiveness results in being unfaithful, and irresponsible, being a person who doesn’t follow through on things, not because of a healthy pursuit of change for progress and growth, but again because of a fear of failing and discontentment.

Those who are wise, decisive, responsible, faithful decision makers are successful and almost always grow and make good progress in life in every area of life. A major tool that successful people use is goals. A goal is a decision to do something after careful thought, prayer, research, and investigation. It is a decision that is written down, reviewed often, thought about, planned, and based on on inner desire to succeed and accomplish something significant with our life.

Goal setters are decisive and responsible, they are neither indecisive or impulsive. Goal setters get good at anticipating the needs of the future and are prepared mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially to deal with whatever comes, they are confident, strong, and faithful.

It is quite amazing to me that the weak link in the goal setting discipline and skill in most people I attempt to help is the reluctance to write our goals down and then to read them. It is like the guy who never changed the oil in his car, he was always going to do it, just never got around to it.