Make the right decision for you

Now that you’ve spent some time imagining what pursuing those revenue streams might look like in your business, it’s time to make a decision. 

Use holographic thinking to guide your decision

There are three primary ways of making decisions:

• Head: If you’re a rational decision-maker, you primarily rely on your head to make decisions. Most people who prefer this modality prioritize control. They use facts and pro and con lists to decide which option might be best. You’ll find them pursuing the “most reasonable” options.

• Heart: Feelings-oriented decision makers rely on their hearts to guide them. They make decisions based on their emotional experience of the world, and they prioritize their body’s experience of the decision at hand. Typically, heart-focused decision makers identify as empaths, and they pursue “soul aligned” options.

• Gut: People who lead with their intuition fall into the category of gut-based decision makers. Intuition can be sensed, felt, seen or heard —  it’s that sense of “just knowing” what's right for you. Gut-based decision makers can be impulsive and they typically love risks. You’ll find them pursuing the options that make them feel excited and engaged with life.

Every person has a go-to method of decision making. Notice which of the three options above resonates most with you. Holographic thinking is an approach that asks you to consider all three decision-making modalities, so you can make a well-rounded decision. Often, when we only use one mode to make a decision, we end up feeling pretty crappy a few months down the line. 

Start with a meditation

Listen along with Jenni with the audio recording here.

“Close your eyes if you’re comfortable, or direct your gaze toward the floor, softening your eyelids. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then drop them down again. Take one deep breath in through your nose and sigh it out your mouth. Wiggle your hips, then set your hands on your thighs, palms up or palms down, and come into stillness. 

I want you to imagine that you’re going to make a decision about which new revenue stream to pursue in your business. Bring that option that you listed as number 1 into your mind. First, turn to your head-centric experience of that option. Notice the facts related to it. What might the benefits be, of pursuing that option? What are the downsides? What do you worry about? 

What does your head say about this option?

Next, we’ll turn to your heart. As you think about actually building that option, how does your body feel? Do you notice any tightness, any stillness? Label the emotions that come up: Happy, excited, frustrated, scared, disappointed, doubtful. Try not to judge them, just notice the emotional experience. 

What does your heart want?

Finally, tune into your gut. Notice if a set of words comes to mind. Maybe you hear an image or a sound related to this revenue stream. Take about 10 seconds to sit in silence, just listening to yourself. Is this right for you, right now?

What does your intuition say?

Eventually, come back into the present moment on your own time, wiggling your fingers and flexing your toes. Start to blink your eyes open.”

Use your head, heart, and gut to reflect on your next steps

Write down any insights you took from that meditation. Now take a look back at your list of revenue stream options. Have your priorities changed since you listed these options initially? What does that mean for you and your business?

Next to your primary mode of decision making, list the other two modes and write one action you could take to get in touch with each option. If you’re really feelings-oriented, you might want to make a pro and con list (head) and spend a few minutes in meditation to assess your reaction to the question at hand (gut).

For example, Janette is a rational (head-focused) decision-maker. She’s pretty sure that coaching is the best option for her because she’s done a bit of research, and it seems to be the most financially lucrative path. Sometimes this rational mode gets her in trouble. A new project can seem like a “smart way to go,” but then, after a few weeks, she starts to feel physical dread every time she starts working on it. If I was coaching Janette, I’d also ask her to check in with her feelings (heart) and her gut. If she uses both other modalities, will she make a different decision? 

Janette realized that she was ignoring her feelings entirely. She actually didn’t want to be on calls all day, which meant that coaching might not be right for her. Instead, the e-book turned out to be the most appealing option. It was a long-term project that she could work on whenever she felt inspired, and it didn’t require any calls. People could buy it at any time. She’d still be helping people, but she wouldn’t have to be “on” all the time.

Before you jump into the next step, make a well-rounded decision about which of these revenue streams makes the most sense for you to implement in your business right now.