The Power of Decision-Making: How Life Coaching Strategies Can Change Your Life
- Tony Healer
- Apr 10
- 8 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Inspired by Coaching
Introduction: The Moment That Changes Everything
Have you ever looked back on a single moment and realised—it changed everything? A chance encounter, a gut instinct followed, or a bold leap of faith… all started with a decision. Not just a passing thought, but a true commitment. One decision—anchored in clarity and purpose—has the power to reshape the direction of your life. This is not just a motivational idea. It’s a principle echoed by thought leaders, philosophers, and coaches for centuries.
This article explores the transformational power of decision-making. We’ll unpack the origins of the word “decision”, explore how influential voices like Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, Wayne Dyer, and Dr. John Demartini speak about it, and how you can harness this power in your own life—starting today.
The Etymology of Decision – A Cut Above the Rest
The word decision originates from the Latin dēcīdere, meaning “to cut off.” Not to pause, ponder, or consider—but to sever. To eliminate all alternatives and commit fully to one path. When you make a true decision, you cut off the possibility of anything else.
History is full of powerful metaphors and moments that reflect this kind of unwavering commitment:
Burning the Boats – Hernán Cortés (1519)
When Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés landed on the shores of Mexico, he gave a shocking command to his men: burn the boats. There would be no retreat, no turning back. Victory—or death—was the only way forward. This act of destruction wasn’t reckless—it was deliberate. It forced full commitment. The only direction was forward.
Burning Bridges – A Modern Reframe
While the phrase “don’t burn your bridges” is usually a caution, sometimes burning a bridge is exactly what’s needed—when the bridge leads back to self-sabotage, addiction, or a toxic past. When you burn a bridge that leads back to the old you, you’re setting a new standard. You’re saying: “I’m not going back to the way I was. I’m all in on the life ahead.”
“How does one become a butterfly? You have to want to learn to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.” — Trina Paulus, Hope For The Flowers
50 Cent – “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson encapsulated this idea perfectly in his debut album title: Get Rich or Die Tryin’. This wasn’t about reckless ambition. It was about commitment. No plan B. No safe backup. Either he would make it—or he would give everything trying. That mindset launched a global career and became a cultural mantra of persistence and grit.
These examples aren’t about glamorizing risk. They’re about removing escape routes that keep us stuck in indecision. When you make a true decision, you’re not dabbling—you’re declaring.
Tony Robbins drives the point home:
“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided."
To cut off other options is to cut in to your power. It creates psychological momentum. There’s clarity, energy, and a surge of willpower that only shows up when you fully commit. And that’s what separates those who try from those who transform.
Decision vs. Wishing – Why Most People Stay Stuck
Wishing feels good—but it doesn’t change anything. A wish is a passive hope that something might happen. A decision is an active commitment that something will happen.
Most people stay stuck in the comfort of wishful thinking because it costs nothing—at first. No risk, no change, no responsibility, and no obstacles. But over time, the cost becomes steep: lost time, regret, and unfulfilled potential.
The difference lies in clarity—and why you want what you want. Simon Sinek, in his groundbreaking book Start With Why, reminds us:
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
This applies not just to business, but to life. People who merely wish for something often haven’t taken the time to understand why they want it. They chase goals that sound good on paper but lack emotional resonance. And without that deeper reason, resistance wins. Procrastination creeps in. The goal drifts into the background.
Decision Makers Lead with Why
On the other hand, decision-makers start with why. Their decisions are rooted in clarity of purpose. Every step forward—even the hard ones—are aligned with their core reason for starting. When obstacles appear (and they will), decision-makers don’t collapse—they recalibrate. They remember their “why” and use it to fuel creative problem-solving, grit, and long-term perspective.
“When you know your why, your what has more impact, because you’re walking in or toward your purpose.” – Michael Jr.
The Cost of Quitting
Making a decision to quit can sometimes be wise—when it’s aligned with values and growth. But often, quitting is disguised as relief when the real issue is lack of clarity or conviction. When you quit without examining your why, you’re not just walking away from a challenge—you’re cutting yourself off from your dreams.
Every time you say, “It’s too hard” or “Maybe someday”, what you’re really saying is: “I’ve forgotten why I started.”
True decisions, fuelled by a strong “why,” turn resistance into resilience. They build identity. They forge character. They separate the daydreamers from the doers.
Wishful Thinking Leaves You Waiting
Jim Rohn said it plainly: “You cannot make progress without making decisions.”
Wishing leaves you waiting for the perfect time, the perfect conditions, or for someone else to show you the way. Deciding is stepping up as the way. It’s realising that action creates clarity—not the other way around.
🔍 Reflective Exercise: Move From Wishing to Deciding
Grab a journal or open a note-taking app—this is where your clarity starts.
What’s something you’ve been wishing for?
Don’t overthink it. What’s been floating in your mind for a while—maybe a career move, a healthier body, more time with family, launching your side hustle?
Why do you really want this?
Ask yourself why at least five times to drill deeper. (e.g., “I want to get in shape.” Why? “To feel better.” Why? “To have more energy for my kids.” etc.)
What “perfect moment” have you been waiting for?
What’s the BS story you’ve been telling yourself about why now isn’t the right time? (BS = belief system)
What would change if you decided today—not just wished?
How would your identity shift? What actions would become inevitable?
What’s one decision you can make today to move forward?
Big or small—pick something and do it. Decide, don’t delay.
🟡 Remember: Wishing happens in your head. Deciding happens in your calendar.
Download The Power of Decision-Making: How Life Coaching Strategies Can Change Your Life Workbook and other free coaching resources:
Decisions Shape Destiny – Aligning with Action, Values, and Spirit
“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” – Tony Robbins
One decision can change everything.Not someday. Not after a vision board. Not when conditions are perfect. Now.
The moment you decide, you activate a force inside you that shifts your reality. But for that decision to have real power, it has to be aligned—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That’s where the true transformation begins.
💥 Tony Robbins: Action Is the Proof of Decision
Tony Robbins reminds us that a decision without action is just a thought. It’s only when you take massive, aligned action that the world starts to shift. When you decide with conviction, you tap into courage, clarity, and commitment all at once.
His Massive Action Plan isn’t just about doing more—it’s about deciding with purpose and backing it with consistent momentum. Decision breeds movement. Movement builds identity. And identity creates destiny.
“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” – Tony Robbins
💎 Dr. John Demartini: Decisions Aligned with Values Ignite Your Life
Where Robbins stokes the fire, Dr. John Demartini fuels the flame from within.
Demartini teaches that your values—your true values, not the ones you think you “should” have—are the compass guiding your life. When your decisions align with your highest values, you become energized, focused, and resilient. You’re no longer pushing a rock uphill—you’re gliding with purpose.
When decisions are made outside of your values, you self-sabotage. You procrastinate. You burn out. But when you align your choices with what deeply matters to you, your decisions become magnetic. They attract energy, clarity, and meaningful results.
“When you live by your highest values, you awaken a drive from within that no outer motivation can touch.” – Dr. John Demartini
🌱 Dr. Wayne Dyer: Inspired Decisions from the Soul
And then there’s Dr. Wayne Dyer, who takes us deeper—into the soul of decision.
Dyer didn’t believe in just pushing harder. He believed in aligning with something greater—your highest self. He taught that decisions rooted in fear lead to struggle. But decisions rooted in faith, love, and higher intention lead to grace.
You don’t need to hustle your way into transformation. Sometimes, you need to surrender into it. Choose the thoughts, beliefs, and actions that lift your spirit—and you’ll notice the universe responds in kind.
“Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer
When All Three Align…
When you decide with Tony’s action, Demartini’s alignment, and Dyer’s spiritual grounding, you become unstoppable.
You don’t just set goals — you walk in purpose.
You don’t just hustle — you move with meaning.
You don’t just change habits — you transform identity.
Every breakthrough, every reinvention, every comeback story starts with one thing: a decision. A line in the sand. A “no more.” Or a “this is who I am now.”
“When the voice and the vision on the inside become more profound and more clear than the opinions on the outside, you’ve begun to master your life.” – Dr. John Demartini
Real Life Coaching Client Story: From Fear to Free Spirit
One of the most inspiring clients I’ve ever worked with came to me after years of emotional and physical abuse. Her past had been filled with fear, manipulation, and the deep conditioning that her needs didn’t matter. She’d lived her life as a shadow of who she truly was—always putting others first, especially her young children, with a heart full of love but a spirit drained of joy.
She told me she felt like she was barely existing—not living. But something in her knew there had to be more. She reached out because she’d heard I’d worked with domestic violence survivors. She didn’t know what change looked like yet—only that she had to make a decision.
Her goal was deceptively simple: to create one hour of free time a week.
We shined the goal and called it: “Laughing Out Loud.”
But behind that hour lived a much bigger dream:
To not feel guilty for enjoying herself
To meet a new partner when the time felt right
To raise her kids in a way that they would one day look back and say, “We loved our childhood.”
She wasn’t assertive, and she struggled to say “no.” But when we aligned her decision with her highest values—freedom, love, fun, and legacy—she lit up. She began to reclaim her time, her voice, her joy. That one hour a week became a sacred space of laughter, creativity, and healing.
And the ripple effect? Her children started to smile more. Her energy shifted. She began dreaming again. One decision changed everything—not overnight, but from the inside out.
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That’s what the power of one decision can do.
It cuts through fear.
It realigns your compass.
And it begins to write a new story—one rooted in truth, value, and spirit.
Final Thoughts: Decision Is Destiny
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
– Flora Whittemore
Your future isn’t waiting for the perfect moment—it’s waiting for you.
One powerful decision, made with clarity and commitment, can rewrite years of hesitation. A true decision ends all negotiation. It slices through self-doubt, outdated stories, and inherited limitations.
You don’t need every step mapped out. You just need the courage to say, “This is it. No more.”
Because your destiny isn’t written in the stars. It’s written in the decisions you make—today.
“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” – Napoleon Hill
Your Call to Action: Decide. Now.
This is not the time for inspiration alone. This is the time for decision.
What is one decision you’ve been putting off?
What is one line you know you need to draw in the sand?
Maybe it’s leaving a toxic job or relationship. Maybe it’s reclaiming your health, your voice, your dream. Maybe it’s finally choosing you.
Download The Power of Decision-Making: How Life Coaching Strategies Can Change Your Life Workbook and other free coaching resources:
Embrace the Power of Decision Making now.
Cut off the excuses.
Cut off the fear.
Cut off the story that says you’re not ready. Because that moment of decision—this moment—could be the defining chapter where everything changed. In the end, the most powerful question isn’t can you… it’s will you?
To Your Success!
Tony Healer
Life Coach & NLP breakthrough specialist Manchester, UK
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