Not deciding is often the same as deciding not to.

At Indian workplaces, we are very reluctant to convey negative messages. This is why no HR ever writes rejection letters. Or potential clients send deafening silences in response to proposals. As a result, we’ve learned to take ‘no answer’ for ‘no’. 

Now, let’s say a client contacts you for something and you haven’t replied in a week because you haven’t decided whether to take it up or not. You might think you’re keeping it ‘on hold’, but the client might figure ‘no answer’ means ‘no’, and move on. 

Being decisive and backing yourself is fundamental to being an entrepreneur. And more often than not, there is not ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ decision. Just decisions and consequences. When the business is your own, you have no choice but to bear consequences — whether you actively make the decision or it gets passively made while you wait. 

So, if you have unmade decisions:

• Turn on the Pomodoro timer and sit down with a book and a pen.

• List all decisions that need to be made.

• Focus and weigh all the variables.

• Make those decisions.

• Communicate them clearly.

• Dust it off.

Off you go!