If you’ve ever felt stuck in that swamp of doubt—where every choice seems like a crossroads with no right answer—you’re not alone.
Being decisive isn’t about having a crystal ball to predict the future or magically knowing the perfect path.
It’s about cutting through the noise, trusting yourself, and standing by your decisions when everything inside you wants to hesitate.
I’ve spent a lot of time questioning my own hesitations, peeling back the layers to figure out what holds me back when it’s time to make a call.
And I’ve seen that those who thrive as leaders are the ones who eliminate certain habits that complicate decision-making.
Below, I’ll walk through eight habits you might need to say goodbye to if you want to step up as a more confident, decisive leader.
Let’s dive in.
1. They let overthinking run the show
Have you ever replayed the same scenario over and over, changing small details in your mind to see how things might turn out?
That mental loop is classic overthinking, and it’s a sure recipe for decision fatigue.
Leaders who struggle with decisiveness often get caught in a web of “what if” thinking, second-guessing every possibility until they can’t see a clear path forward.
I’ve been there myself, especially in my early days running Ideapod. I’d weigh every possibility for days, convinced I needed more information.
But guess what? That search for perfect certainty is never satisfied.
At some point, you’ve got to trust your instincts and draw on the data you do have.
Otherwise, you’ll remain stuck in analysis paralysis, and the opportunity will slip away.
Next time you feel your brain spinning in circles, take a step back. Remind yourself that you’ll never have absolute clarity—no one does.
Then commit to a deadline for your decision and honor it.
2. They hold off until everyone gives their approval
If there’s one thing that crushes decisiveness, it’s waiting on a green light from the entire world.
Whether it’s your peers, your boss, or even your friends, looking for everyone’s nod of agreement can push you into endless delays.
Sure, feedback is useful, and a good leader is open to hearing diverse perspectives.
But if you allow the fear of disapproval to control your actions, your decisions will always be on hold.
I’ve spoken with countless entrepreneurs who learned this the hard way. They’d water down their ideas to appease critics, only to lose their original vision.
That’s no way to lead.
It’s fine to gather insights, but remember that leadership means stepping up and taking responsibility.
Don’t wait for a chorus of applause before you move forward. Your team will respect you more when you show conviction, even if they disagree at first.
3. They treat every conflict like a crisis
If you’re the type who rushes to avoid conflict at all costs, you might be undermining your own leadership.
Leaders who sidestep confrontation often do so because they’re uneasy with tension.
But decision-making naturally breeds disagreement; someone is always going to want a different outcome.
Here’s the thing: conflict isn’t automatically a bad thing.
Handled constructively, it’s an opportunity to refine ideas, clarify details, and even strengthen relationships.
I remember one tough conversation I had with a former colleague who insisted on keeping a project in-house, while I wanted to outsource it for efficiency.
Both sides got heated, but that friction forced us to outline each choice’s pros and cons meticulously.
In the end, we made a more informed decision—and we respected each other for bringing honesty to the table.
If you dodge conflict altogether, you risk making half-hearted decisions that leave everyone confused.
Embrace respectful disagreement. It can actually boost clarity.
4. They bury themselves in limiting beliefs
A lot of indecision comes from a mindset that whispers, “You can’t do this” or “You’re just not cut out to lead.”
These thoughts don’t usually spring from nowhere; they’re ingrained beliefs built up over time—maybe from past failures, or from someone telling you you’d never succeed.
It’s like a virus in your mental operating system that keeps you from acting confidently.
I’ve wrestled with this too. In my 20s, I worried I wasn’t “corporate enough” to lead a venture because I’d left the formal workplace so quickly.
But eventually, I realized those limiting beliefs were just shackles I’d chosen to wear.
If this hits home for you, consider exploring Ruda Iande’s “Free Your Mind” masterclass. It dives into how to identify and overcome the mental barriers that keep us playing small.
It’s about challenging your default assumptions and reconnecting with a deeper sense of possibility.
Instead of letting those internal doubts create a traffic jam in your head, break free from them so you can make decisions on your own terms.
5. They rely on perfectionism as a safety net
Perfectionism can masquerade as a high standard, but more often it’s just a roadblock.
When you aim for perfect outcomes each time, you’ll find yourself paralyzed at the thought of making the “wrong” move.
I used to obsess over every detail—whether it was a blog post or a promotional video—believing that if it wasn’t flawless, I shouldn’t release it.
Unfortunately, it did more harm than good. I delayed launches, missed key windows of opportunity, and felt constantly frustrated.
It’s important to remember that “done” often beats “perfect.”
Research backs this up, with researchers concluding that perfectionist leaders have a negative impact on team decision-making performance.
Great leaders recognize that any decision made with good intentions and solid reasoning can be adjusted later if needed.
Perfectionism might feel like a comforting shield, but it can seriously stall momentum.
Allow for iterations, and embrace the fact that your first version might be imperfect. At least you’re moving forward.
6. They let external distractions run the day
In this hyper-connected world, focus is a precious commodity.
Scrolling through social media feeds or checking emails every five minutes disrupts your mental flow. Your mind becomes fractured, jumping from one thing to the next.
That makes solid decision-making about ten times harder because you’re never fully “in” any single moment.
I had a major wake-up call a couple of years back when I realized I was spending more time reacting to notifications than actually engaging with creative tasks.
The funny part was, I thought I was “busy,” but I was just busy being distracted.
If you want to be more decisive, guard your attention. Block off specific hours for deep work. Turn off notifications when you need to concentrate.
Imagine your brain as a muscle—every time you let a random ping interrupt you, that muscle weakens.
When you’re fully present, you’ll find clarity in your decisions and get better outcomes in less time.
7. They habitually procrastinate
Procrastination isn’t just about laziness.
Sometimes it’s a strategy we adopt to shield ourselves from the discomfort of uncertainty or the fear of making a bad choice.
But studies show that all it really does is compound the stress.
If you push off decisions, you’re still making a choice—you’re choosing inertia over progress.
Back in my university days, I’d often wait until the last minute to write an essay, telling myself I “worked best under pressure.”
What a lie.
The truth was, I was avoiding the frustration that comes with starting a challenging task.
As a leader, procrastination sends a message that you’re unsure. It can trickle down to your team, breeding a culture of hesitation.
Next time you catch yourself delaying action, pause and ask: “What am I actually avoiding here?”
Acknowledging the real issue can give you the push you need to act sooner rather than later.
8. They ignore their own intuition
In a world obsessed with metrics, analytics, and external input, there’s a tendency to sideline gut instincts as “unscientific.”
But intuition is often the sum of your experiences, education, and subconscious processing. It’s not just a random feeling.
Leaders who are perpetually indecisive sometimes place too much weight on external data and not enough on that quiet inner voice nudging them in a certain direction.
I was once torn about whether to shift the entire Ideapod platform toward content creation. On paper, the original tech-driven model had a lot going for it. Data suggested we should stick to it.
But something deeper told me the community craved more direct conversations, more articles and videos. Eventually, I listened to my instincts.
Although it was a big pivot, it turned out to be exactly what our audience needed.
If you’ve done your research and still feel pulled toward a particular decision, trust yourself enough to follow that pull.
Nobody else has your unique blend of experiences, so your gut might sense opportunities that numbers alone can’t capture.
Wrapping it up
Leading decisively doesn’t mean you’ll never doubt yourself—it means you refuse to let self-doubt run the show.
If you recognize any of these eight habits in your own life, it’s worth tackling them head-on.
One powerful way to do that is by digging into the mental programming that limits your confidence.
That’s exactly what Ruda Iande’s Free Your Mind masterclass aims to help you do—identifying the subconscious beliefs that hold you back and learning practical tools to overcome them.
Whether you’re struggling with perfectionism, fear of conflict, or any other habit on this list, real change comes from stepping out of your comfort zone and shifting your mindset.
You have more agency than you think.
The question is, are you ready to own it?
Feeling stuck in self-doubt?
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