“There is never enough time to do everything. And often, your “grade,” whether you work in the executive suite or in a daily support position, depends as much on what you decide not to do as what you do.” — Cut to the Chase: and 99 Other Rules to Liberate Yourself and Gain Back the Gift of Time by Stuart R. Levine
When it comes to decision making, most people’s day sounds like bacon frying – they are sizzling and popping with activity. But like a strip of bacon, when they are finished with their day, they’re pretty much used up.
Ever felt that way?
I’m betting you have. We all have.
There is a better way. It will feel odd at first but I want you to make it your goal to make as few decisions as possible.
To be clear, I am not advocating running from making the decisions you should make but I am proposing that you probably shouldn’t be making most of the decisions that you are making.
Over the next few post I want to propose a template to help you sift through the almost countless number of decisions swirling around you every day vying for you attention and robbing you of vital (and limited) energy while distracting you from the very few decisions you should be making.
To get us started on our template, let me offer my number one question before making a decision: Does this decision even need to be made?
Before making your next decision ask:
Does this decision even need to be made?
Ted William is the last major league player to average a .400 batting average for an entire season. When asked the secret to his success he said, “I keep the bat on my shoulder most of the time.”
In other words, he didn’t dig a hole for himself by chasing bad pitches.
In the same way, most of the decisions crying out for your attention do not even need to be made. Leave the bat on your shoulder!
Oh how I have had to learn this the hard way! Let me share a short checklist of decisions I have discovered that do not have to made. (There’s a painful lesson behind every one of them, ask me sometime and I tell you about them.)
Decisions that you do not need to make:
#1: Is this a matter of mission or taste?
- Flee “What-color-should-the-carpet-be?” decisions. If the issue is not directly linked to one of your strategic goals, flee making that decision like the plague.
#2: Is it a matter of truth or opinion?
- There’s a world of difference between “Everyone feels that this should be done,” and “Clearly the evidence is pointing to the fact that I must do this.”
#3: Is it a matter of truth that matters?
- In other words, just because something is true doesn’t mean you need to jump on board.
Take the Leavenworth High School sport’s program in Leavenworth Kansas. (You do keep up with Leavenworth High School don’t you?)
I have been a faithful fan throughout 2026. There have been several nights I have cozied up in my den chair and tuned in to the exciting Leavenworth High School teams.
In the interest of full disclosure, the truth is my grandson is the play-by-play announcer for the games. I have little interest in who the players are or whether they win or lose, I just love my grandson and want to support him.
The truth is, there are a lot of situations like that. Even if it’s a real issue of concern doesn’t mean that you need to get involved.
You don’t have to attend every rally, take up every cause, and join every argument. Like Ted Williams’ batting strategy, leave the bat on your shoulder for most matters.
Or like a thunderstorm, unless you can produce rain leave it be; there’s enough thunder and lightning out there already.
And one more thing…
And here’s one more question to ask as it relates to whether or not you need to make a particular decision:
#4: Is this decision taking me in the direction I want to go?
Not knowing the future, the next best thing to do is make decisions that increase the chances that your preferred future will happen. All other decisions, at best, are a waste of precious time and energy and at worse, your enemy, for they distract you from those few decisions that really do need to be making.
And finally…(and this is important)
I will offer this one caveat: When you relinquish the “What-color-should-the-carpet-be?” and “Where-do-we-eat-lunch?” type decisions, don’t complain about the decision others made. Living with their decision is the cost of doing business when it comes keeping your gun powder dry for the time when decisions that only you should be making.
The ONE THING for today: Don’t waste precious time and energy making decisions that don’t even need to be made.
The ONE THING 