Start with Small Steps 219 - No Choice Is A Choice
219 - No Choice Is A Choice
Have you ever avoided making a decision, hoping things would just work themselves out, only to realize later that doing nothing made everything worse? I know I have, and in this episode, I’m talking about how no decision is still a decision—just not one you control. I share personal stories about how my own indecision has impacted my career, relationships, and health, sometimes in ways I deeply regret. I also talk about the hidden cost of avoiding choices and why small, intentional steps can put you back in control of your life.
For a long time, I thought that if I didn’t make a choice, I was keeping my options open. But I’ve learned that when I fail to act, life steps in and makes the choice for me—and it’s rarely the one I would have wanted. When I graduated college, I couldn’t decide what path to take, and instead of making an intentional choice, I drifted into a job out of necessity. Years later, I realized I had closed doors to other opportunities simply because I hadn’t been proactive. The same thing happened in my health. I spent years trying and failing to lose weight, pushing off real action because I wasn’t sure what would work. Eventually, my health suffered, and I was forced to take action, but by then, I had fewer choices available to me.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that inaction has real consequences. Not deciding doesn’t protect you from failure; it often makes things worse. When I ignored problems with my house, I ended up with water damage that could have been avoided. When I stayed in a comfortable but stagnant job, I watched my retirement savings fall behind. It’s easy to think we’ll have more time later, but time moves fast, and before we know it, years have passed without progress.
I also understand why people avoid making choices, because I’ve done it too. Sometimes we’re afraid of picking the wrong option, so we convince ourselves that waiting is better. Other times, we don’t want to take responsibility in case things go wrong. And then there’s the belief that we have all the time in the world, but that’s an illusion. The truth is, the longer we wait, the fewer options we have.
Takeaways
What I’ve learned is that even a bad decision is often better than no decision at all. When I finally started taking control of my career, my health, and my finances, things didn’t change overnight, but they started moving in the right direction. The key is to stop waiting for the perfect moment and just take one small step. If you’re stuck in a job you don’t like, start by updating your resume. If your health is suffering, make one simple change today. If a relationship isn’t working, have that hard conversation.
I challenge you to think about one area of your life where you feel stuck. What’s one small action you can take today? It doesn’t have to be huge—just something to move you forward. I’d love to hear from you about the choices you’re facing. You can email me at jillatstartwithsmallsteps.com or leave a comment on YouTube. Remember, doing nothing is still a choice—so why not choose to take control?
https://startwithsmallsteps.com/219-no-choice-is-a-choice/
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https://www.youtube.com/@startwithstartwithsmallstepscast
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Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com