To discern well is critical for you to achieve your goals and dreams. Good discernment allows you to see, recognize, understand, or decide what you should do next. It’s not about right and wrong, it’s about right and almost right. The difference between you accomplishing what you desire or not is being able to choose between good and best. To discern well allows you to choose the next most important step for yourself, and sometimes you may have a few viable options. This is where it gets hard.
Success isn’t about asking yourself, “What is the next step, it’s asking, what is the next BEST step?”
In this article we share some important things you should do when discerning what your next BEST step is.
6 Important Factors to Help You Discern Well
Wait –
When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. On your journey to success there’s no race to the finish line, so you don’t need to rush. Trust that things will happen when they need to and in perfect timing. When you set out to achieve certain goals and dreams, there will be times when you aren’t sure what step to take next. Making hasty decisions in times of uncertainty tend to cause more problems and is most likely not the smartest choice. Your best option when you’re not sure what to do is to follow the motto, “When in doubt, wait it out!”
Ponder –
Pondering is somewhat of a lost art. In the hustle and bustle of a busy life, sitting and thinking things through doesn’t’ happen often. Before you take the next step, take time to reflect on every viable option. You can recall your past experiences and think through the outcomes of decisions you have already made, and it’s always a good idea to talk through all the choices available to you with your trusted friends, family, and advisors. A good rule of thumb is, before you wander, ponder!
Rule out –
Write out all the pros and cons of the decisions you’re about to make so you can rule out any definite no-goes. Before you decide what to do, you will need to be certain that anything you say yes to is an opportunity not a distraction. Remember, distractions sometimes appear to be opportunities because they aren’t necessarily a bad option, but they just aren’t the best option. An opportunity will always steer you in the right direction towards your goal. Anything that doesn’t actively help you get closer to where you want to go should be ruled out as an option.
Be aware of emotions –
Emotional decisions can get us in trouble. When determining what your next best step is, you need to be clear minded so you can make the right choice based on what your goals and dreams are, not based on how you feel. A good example is exercising. Most of the time you aren’t going to feel like working out. If you make your decision based on that, you will never make it to the gym. You must remove the emotion and decide to workout even though your emotions aren’t aligned with what you know you really should do. Remember, the emotion follows the action. Don’t let your emotions keep you from good discernment.
Trust your gut –
Your intuition will guide you, but you must listen, believe it, and have the confidence to take the action. How many times in your life have you thought to yourself, if only I had listened to what my intuition was telling me. So often we have the answers within ourselves, but fear causes us to doubt or hold back. If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?
Seek –
Learn from others who are successfully doing what you want to accomplish. Study their habits and ask them for advice. You can seek out information from professionals and experts or educate yourself at workshops, seminars, or conferences. Whatever you do, don’t just wait for things to come to you, get out there and search out what you need. If you seek, you will find!
If you are going to achieve the goals and dreams you desire for yourself and live your best life, you must be able to discern well. When you take the time to apply all these factors before making any major decisions, you won’t just take the next step, you will be able to discern the next best step.
Article Written By:
Kim Martin, Founder of I’ve Decided, INC.
