TM4T Barriers to Success - Indecision

Now let's be clear about this: indecision in this context means a failure to make decisions; not necessarily dithering between options.

If something is wrong in your life, seriously wrong, you need to do something about it - even if 'doing something' equates to 'accepting it'.

Some teachers consider Ticklists to be To-Do Lists and simply list actions to be carried out later. This is useful of course, but a good Ticklist records ideas and issues as well as actions.

Each of these (ideas and issues) requires decisions: do I actually do something about this, or not? If so, when will I do it?

If you fail to do this, you risk experiencing frustration and drift. 'Drift' in this context means a subconscious belief that time will take care of things. It won't. You need to actively manage time to achieve what you want to achieve: in your classroom, in your career, and in your life.

This is something which many teachers - heck, many people in all walks of life - find it hard to understand. They are aware of dithering, and typically reprimand themselves for it, but are frequently unaware of the fact that there are major decisions in their lives which remain unmade. 

The key to solving this, as mentioned above, is simple. One small step: record issues and ideas using your Ticklist. This includes frustrations, aspirations and real, big decisions. Then allocate some quality time to making the right decision.

It may seem strange that the big issues in life should be tackled by such a pernickety rule, but.. well... great journies start with small steps. Remember: a Ticklist is NOT just a to-do list; you should jot down issues and ideas as well as actions.