Why Successful People Never Second-Guess Themselves — and 5 Strategies to Help You Get Rid of Indecision Making smart and swift decisions is a hallmark of success. But how do we do it well?

Indecision is a problem for many of us. Some of us spend far too long deliberating our decisions, even ones that aren't that significant. Usually, it stems from fear. Sometimes, we become so paralyzed by fear of making the wrong decision that we don't make any decision at all.

Most of us can remember a time when we stood still for too long. Time runs out, doors close on us and opportunities pass us by. However, not all of us struggle with indecision. Our history is rich with examples of business, political and military leaders who made incredibly complex decisions of extreme importance — and did it while under immense pressure. How were they able to do it? Often, it's because they believe in following these five principles.

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1. Having a set of personal values

Often, successful people who make quick decisions do so because they don't start over at square one with each decision they make. They already know what their personal or organizational values are and they live by them. Anytime they're facing a tough decision, they simply run that decision through the litmus test of their values. Because they've made a commitment to never violate their values, they're quickly able to eliminate numerous options.

For example, if their top value is integrity, they'll know that lying or withholding information isn't an option for them. It doesn't matter that telling the truth might hurt someone's feelings or cost them their job. If honesty or transparency is their most important value, they'll refuse to make a decision that takes them away from that value. Now, let's say a company's top value is customer service. Value-driven leaders won't make a decision that violates their customers' best interests — no matter what.

It doesn't matter if a proposal will result in a big profit or save time. If the client experience is the top value of the organization, then an aligned leader won't make any decision that goes against that. People who know their values (and stand by them) can make decisions much quicker than those who don't because they're readily able to decrease the number of decisions available to them.

2. Make moves, take action

Successful people are action-oriented. They know little gets accomplished by thought alone. They recognize how quickly technology, the market, competitor decisions and the political landscape can change the options available to them. They know there's a cost to waiting, so they don't.

Successful people also know that we, as humans, learn by doing. They don't feel they need all the information on a topic before making a decision. They pick an avenue and start down their chosen path because they believe they'll learn key pieces of information merely by having made the decision and being in motion.

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3. Poor decisions are rarely fatal (or final)

Contrary to popular opinion, failure is almost always a part of success. Almost always, successful people have experienced many failures along the way, and they become accustomed to it. However, instead of hanging onto their failures, they tend to view their mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning.

Because they get excited about progress rather than perfection, they don't spend much time worrying about the negative consequences of a bad decision. Rather, they make their decisions based on the information they have at the time and choose to believe they'll become stronger and smarter even if their decision turns out to be the wrong one. Because they have a high degree of trust and confidence in their own abilities to solve problems, they make decisions with the belief that they'll be able to fix (or even improve upon) any unwanted effects of whatever decision they make — and still be better off.

4. They quickly assess the worst-case scenario

Swift decision-makers often ask themselves what's truly at stake before making a big decision. They'll take a few moments to ask themselves a key question that slower decision-makers rarely ask: "What's the worst that could happen?" If the worst that could happen is they publicly stub their toe or have to apologize to someone, they'll keep that in mind as they decide. If the decision is literally one of life and death, they may deliberate a bit longer.

Most of our decisions are not matters of life and death. Usually, a single poor decision won't cost the company millions or wind up seriously injuring anyone. Quick decision-makers keep this in mind. They also believe in their ability to repair their relationships with anyone they've offended or emotionally hurt, so they're able to act with the knowledge that most often, a bad decision isn't permanent and won't cost them an entire relationship.

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5. They enlist the help of trusted advisors — and then move on

One of the ways successful people make decisions so quickly is that they surround themselves with competent advisors. They don't just ask anyone (or everyone) for input; that would only slow them down. But they do know exactly who to ask, and they do so quickly. Getting input from a few key people who have experience and wisdom on particular subject matters helps them feel good about their decisions.

This is different than polling a large group of people or putting their decisions to a vote. Instead, it's about asking someone they trust and respect for some quick input. They'll often ask someone who has expertise in ways they don't. This allows them to ensure they haven't missed anything or forgotten to consider a viable alternative. Swift-decision makers know exactly who these people are for them.

Most of us like to be right, and it can be easy to feel embarrassed if we make a poor decision that blows up in our faces. But if you remember these five principles, you won't struggle quite as much to pick a course of action and commit to it.