The Flip of a Coin

There you have it, my secret decision-making strategy.

Flipping a coin makes everything clear.

Flipping a coin stops the endless back and forth trying to make the perfect decision.

Flipping a coin gives you immediate access to your inner wisdom and deepest desires.

What, what?

Let me say that again. Flipping a coin gives you immediate access to your inner wisdom and deepest desires.

It strips away all the rational arguments, the pro and con lists, the if I do X I’ll get Y but if I do A I’ll get B and B is better than X, except if Z happens and then Y is probably better than B and then you get all twisted up by the crazy letters and fall over and your mind wanders off to Farmville where everything is easy, and don’t make the decision, except for that too is a decision.

Sound familiar?

You aren’t alone. I just googled “How to make a decision” and got nearly 100 million hits. That’s a one with eight zeroes after it. Clearly you and I and my clients aren’t the only ones that struggle with decision-making.

I have lots of ideas on this, suggestions about how to make decisions easier. How to feel better about your decisions. How to deal with any regret once decisions are made.

All of that is good and helpful, and I’ll share it with you here in future posts, but for now, here’s why flipping a coin is the best short-cut ever.

Why flipping a coin isn’t just about chance or fate.

It isn’t about chance or fate because it doesn’t matter whether the coin lands on heads or tails. The only thing that matters is how you feel in that split-second when you see how the coin lands.

That’s the magical moment where you discover your deepest desire.

You flip the coin like it’s always done. One choice is heads the other is tails.

Flip the coin, and then pay attention.

Just as you become aware of whether it’s heads or tails, you’ll either be thrilled it landed on that side, or very disappointed that it did.

Then ignore which side it landed on and choose the option that thrilled you when chance made the decision, or the opposite if you were disappointed in the result.

Another possibility.

You may also discover that you would be perfectly fine with the coin landing on either side. That is also good news, because either decision will be just fine. (And if you still aren’t sure what to do, just go with the option shown by the coin!)

Extra knowing also possible.

You might get even more insight in the moments before the coin lands too.

Notice if you’re hoping for the coin to land a particular way. Notice what comes up in that time between deciding to flip a coin and the coin landing. Notice everything you’re paying attention to in these moments. They are most excellent clues too.