Left Brain + Right Brain = Better & Faster Decisions

In business and in life, we are faced with decisions day-in-day-out.

It may be quite inconsequential (chicken or beef?) or it can change the trajectory of your life. Or, more often than not, something in-between.

Indecisions are open loops, which means they are energy-suckers. They distract us from other things that may be more important. We can all be more effective if we make better decisions, faster.

Some get caught in indecision when they feel they don’t have enough information. Or they overload themselves with data and facts that got them stuck in overthinking, or analysis-paralysis.

Others have sufficient information and even a mile-long pros-and-cons list. But they can’t determine how to move forward because the “data” is saying one thing, but they got a “pit in the stomach” about that direction.

When I came upon tough decisions, I used to frantically collect as much data as I could, and make exhaustive pros-and-cons lists. Usually it would drag on till the last minute when I HAVE to decide.

At that point I got so sick of pondering, tossed caution into the wind and went with my Guts. The same gut feeling I had from the beginning!

If I had trusted my guts from the get go, I would have saved a load of time and energy… and still reach the same decision… ha!

Can You Be an Intuitive-Brainiac?

“Following our intuition” is easier said than done. Our society prefers “data” and “facts” — the tangible information we can put our fingers on.

Don’t get me wrong, we need data and facts.

Not only do they provide insights into the objective environment in which we operate, they also get our “logical” minds on board.

When we make a decision with which our entire self is not on board, we won’t be able to put the right energy behind it to make the action effective and unstoppable.

(There lies the problem with some who just shove their “logical” mind to the side and label “ego” as a bad thing, shooing it away instead of listening to what it has to tell us. It IS part of us and without the ego, we will all be drooling in a corner. But that’s for another day.)

But sometimes, we HIDE behind “facts” and “data”…

… thinking if we base our decision on the “objective”, we have something to point our fingers to when things don’t work out!

With “facts” and “data”, we can point to the “concrete” stuff on paper (or the screen) and we don’t have to get into the deeper part of us that we KNOW to be true when others question our decisions.

The left brain’s inclination towards “facts” and “data” (which are human constructs, often more subjective than they are portrayed!) can get us stuck in analysis-paralysis, and block us from accessing the other side of our brain to help us make holistic decisions.

But c’mon, the right brain ain’t going down without a fight! So it gives you that “pit in the stomach” so you feel like you are stuck in the middle.

We have been told that decisiveness is a hallmark of successful people… so we beat ourselves up when we are stuck in indecision!

(ok, yes, that’s true. But how interesting that I heard it most often in those “free trainings” when someone is trying to sell us something with fast decision discount…)

This self-doubt further erodes the trust we have in ourselves.

So what to do? How can we have the best of both worlds?

Trusting our Guts and tapping into our intuition when we have sufficient information can help us make better and faster decisions.

But how do you cultivate that Trust? How do you know Trust will help you make good decisions? How can you make sure your intuition is working on your behalf when making “logical” decisions?

How to make decisions utilizing both right brain AND left brain

(I got really skilled in this left-brain-right-brain thing when I studied architecture in Harvard… it’s magical when both sides of the brain are equally fired up.)

I don’t advocate making blind decisions and flying by the seat of our pants. What I find to work really well is to collect a healthy amount of data, absorb it, then forget about it.

Yes, completely forget about it — take your mind off, don’t even think about it, do something different and let your intuition work its magic.

But first we need to give our intuition something good to work with. Otherwise, it’s like putting raw materials into a faulty machine.

That “something good” is the Clarity and Conviction — they are your internal guiding system.

When you are fully immersed in your clarity and conviction that stem from the deepest part of, you KNOW what to do. You do what feels right and in alignment with your Truth (even if it’s not the easy thing to do.)

Now you can ask your intuition to tap into the Clarity to help you make aligned decisions — the kind of big picture, holistic decision that the over-analysis of discrete facts and data can’t give you.

After the big picture decision is made, now fold in the information, facts and data (aka “left brain stuff”) to support the tactical actions for a solid plan that is aligned with your SELF.

Now you know what to do, and you know the actions will support your highest good, instead of being just busywork.

See, your left brain and right brain can play nice, be productive and make you a better decision-maker!

Your turn — what is stickiest for you when it comes to decision making? Leave a comment below, and share how you are going to make better and faster decisions!

About Ling

Ling is an Intuitive Brainiac. Through her unique blend of Business + Marketing coaching with a Mindset + Psychic Twist, Ling Wong helps Maverick Entrepreneurs nail their message, claim their superpowers and muster up the GUTS to monetize their Truth.

Ling helps her clients translate their vision, purpose and superpowers into practical strategies, compelling offerings and effective communication that sell, through her intuitive yet rigorous iterative process born out of her Harvard Design School training and 10 years of experience in the online marketing industry.

Find Ling and download her free “How to Design YOUR Winning Formula” Training here.