Stop Deferring Decisions

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You know exactly what you need to do.

Launch that service. Update your positioning. Publish that framework. Make the pricing change. Reach out to that potential partner.

The decision isn't complicated. You've thought through the options. You've mapped the approach. You know what makes sense.

And yet... You haven't done it.

Not because you need more information. Because there's always one more thing to perfect. One more person to get feedback from.

One more scenario to think through.

You tell yourself you're being strategic. But six months later, you're still "planning to" do the thing you could have done in week one.

Here's my hot take: The decisions you defer damage your credibility more than the decisions you get wrong.

Look, I get it. Your expertise taught you to be thorough. To think things through. To consider all angles.

But here's the tension: influence requires something different. The ability to make clear moves and follow through visibly.

And the people watching—potential clients, peers, your market—they notice the gap between what you say you're doing and what they actually see you do.

I spent two years "planning to" publish a framework. Eight months "getting ready to" launch a service. Six months "about to" update my positioning.

You know what changed everything? Five days.
I gave myself five days to either make the move or consciously let it go.

That simple constraint forced clarity.

And what I discovered kinda surprised me: the decisions I thought were hard weren't hard at all. I was just uncomfortable with being visible.

I had to remind myself: Your credibility comes from what people see you do, not what they hear you're planning to do.

I know I’m not alone in this.

Entrepreneurs and experts don’t usually get stuck because of a lack of ambition or ability.

They get stuck because of fear, perfectionism, or mental clutter — too many ideas, too many priorities, and no forcing function to commit.

The 3-Step Decision Flow: From Expert Deferral to Visible Decisiveness

After studying experts and entrepreneurs who consistently move their work forward without overthinking or burnout, and drawing on Justin Welsh's approach, here's what works:

Step 1 - List What's Been Waiting Too Long
Step 2 - Ask What You're Actually Avoiding
Step 3 - Decide Within Five Days

Let’s get it…

Step 1 - List What's Been Waiting Too Long

What to list: Your work (Not client work or obligations to others.) The decisions about your business, your positioning, your visibility, your offers—the things that would expand your influence if you'd just move forward.

Common expert and entrepreneur deferrals:

• "Publish that framework or methodology I've been refining"

• "Update my positioning and messaging"

• "Launch that new service offering"

• "Change my pricing to what it should be"

• "Reach out to that potential partnership"

• "Start creating content consistently"

• "Make my website reflect what I actually do now"

• "Put out the offer I've been perfecting"

• "Pivot from what's not working to what makes sense"

These aren't complex strategic questions.

They're clear decisions you're avoiding because of discomfort, perfectionism, or fear of how people will respond.

Every deferred decision signals to your market that you're not quite ready. People notice the gap between what you say you're doing and what they see you do.

Step 2 - Ask What You're Actually Avoiding

The uncomfortable question: For each deferred decision, ask: "What am I actually avoiding by not making this move?"

Common truths experts uncover:

• "I'm afraid it won't be good enough"

• "I don't want people to judge my work"

• "I'm worried it's too simple or too obvious"

• "I don't want to commit to one direction"

• "I'm afraid no one will care or respond"

• "I'm not ready to be that visible"

• "I'm hoping I'll feel more confident later"

• "I don't want to deal with criticism or questions"

What naming it does: Reveals that the decision itself isn't hard—the discomfort around visibility or judgment is what's blocking you.

Example: "I've been refining this service offering for six months" becomes "I'm afraid people won't see the value" becomes "I need to put it out there and let the market tell me, not keep perfecting it in private."

Step 3 - Decide Within Five Days

Two paths forward, both are progress:

Path A - Make the Move: If it still makes sense, commit to doing it within five days. Put it on your calendar. Set the date. Make it real. Move it from "planning to" to "done."

What making the move looks like:

• "Tuesday — Publish the framework post"

• "Wednesday — Update website positioning"

• "Thursday — Send the partnership email"

• "Friday — Launch the offer with current pricing"

• "Monday — Share the first piece of consistent content"

People see you follow through on what you've been talking about. Even if it's not perfect, it's real.

Path B - Consciously Release It: If it no longer fits your direction, release it explicitly. Tell yourself and others: "I'm not doing this anymore."

What releasing looks like:

• "After further thought, this service doesn't fit where I'm going"

• "I'm letting this framework idea go to focus on what matters more"

• "This was the right direction six months ago, but I've evolved"

It clears mental space and lets you focus on what actually matters now.

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The Bottom Line

Your market doesn't expect perfect execution.

They expect to see you follow through on what you say you're going to do.

Deferring decisions doesn't make you look strategic. It makes you look uncertain.

The experts and entrepreneurs building real influence aren't the ones who never make mistakes. They're the ones who decide with clarity and execute visibly.

Stop deferring. Start deciding. Your credibility depends on it.

Thanks for reading. Be easy!
Girvin