When making a decision, allowing fear and doubt to influence it will result in a low vibration, compromise, and regret. Saying things like “I’m afraid to start (or end) this relationship because I may not find someone else” OR “I’m afraid to accept (or terminate) this job because I’m afraid of…” OR “I’m afraid of doing this thing (or not doing it) because…” is ALWAYS going to lead to the wrong decision. Fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real and giving in to it will give you a small and unfulfilled life.

Instead, when facing a decision, ask “What is the right thing to do from a place of strength and integrity? What would the best version of me choose to do in this situation?”

It is ok to have fear and doubt sometime. Focusing on that, however, magnifies the uncertainty, the anxiety, the suffering. Acknowledge the fear, and have the courage to do the right thing regardless. This principle will allow you to enjoy an upward spiral in the quality of life. The alternative is leading what Henry David Thoreau called ‘a life of quiet desperation’.

In Pat Solomon’s documentary Finding Joe, luminaries like Deepak Chopra and Brian Johnson are interviewed about the modern hero’s journey, and how it resembles a spiral instead of a circle… because the challenges never stop and the hero continues to evolve and become as the story unfolds.

Where are you on your hero’s journey? Are you able to recognize that the struggles you are facing are part of your story and are required for you to become the person you are meant to become? What will your attitude be today, tomorrow, and every day after that as you TURN THE PAGE of your story and live the adventure you are meant to live?

The process is simple. First, collect all the things that you need to do in one place. This is critical, because if your to-do’s are on sticky notes, in your head, and in several notebooks, then it feels like ‘many’ and the brain can go into avoidance from the whole thing.

Once you’ve collected all action items, group them under categories in your life: health, finances, kids, spouse, hobby, household, etc. (the same can be done for school – by subject – or for business by using categories such as marketing, legal, sales, management, Project X, etc.). In each one of the categories, what is the outcome you are looking for? I.e. what is the result you’re after? For health this could be ‘increasing energy and fitness’, for finances it could be ‘create and follow a budget’, etc. (remember to include a target date).

You now have a list of 7 outcomes with action items below each one. Focusing on the outcomes helps you get closer to the result you’re after even if you don’t accomplish all the to-do’s. That is the psychological WIN that will help you feel productive. Each day choose the 2 action items under each outcome that will make the biggest difference (think 80-20 rule) and SCHEDULE TIME in your calendar to do them.

You’ve now reduced a list of 75 actions (overwhelming) to a list of 14 high-leverage actions specifically geared towards the outcomes you want (exciting). Repeat this process daily and check-in weekly to re-dump your to-do’s from your brain by writing down ALL of them in one place and re-starting this process.

Remember, you get what you focus on. If you focus on a long list of to-do’s, you’ll get tired and overwhelmed. If you focus on a few outcomes that you’ve designed for your life, you will get energized and empowered.

One way to deal with doubt is to use the mind’s energy against itself and doubt your doubts. It works just as well as doubting. When your mind wants to say “I don’t know if this thing I want will happen”, counter it by saying “Yeah, right it won’t happen” in an unbelieving way. This causes you to doubt that thing you fear or stress about. And that will diminish its power in the mind.

Another method to get out of doubt is to be fully present in this moment, because doubt is always about something that may or may not happen in the future. Take a deep breath and notice what’s around you and become grounded in the Now.

“Fear arises simply because you are not living with life – you are living in your mind.” ~Sadhguru