From Indecision to Direction: A Smarter Way to Choose Your Path

A decision is not a lifetime commitment.

It’s just choosing a direction for now. You can pick a degree, an internship, or a first job without having to promise you’ll do it forever. Careers today are non-linear, and exploration is part of the process, not a failure.

What actually keeps people stuck isn’t choosing the “wrong” option, it’s doing nothing because they’re afraid to choose at all.

Small actions (one course, one project, one conversation) create clarity. Your brain literally works better when you move, not when you overthink.

Why this matters

• Indecision is exhausting
  Overthinking drains mental energy and increases anxiety without giving better answers.

• Careers don’t follow straight lines anymore
  Most people pivot multiple times; early choices are data, not destiny.

• Action creates feedback
  You don’t discover what fits by thinking, you discover it by testing.

• The brain prefers progress over perfection
  Neuroscience shows that goal-directed action reduces uncertainty and stress.

Why this matters to you

• You don’t need to “know” yet
  You’re not behind because you’re unsure. Uncertainty is normal at every stage of life.

• You’re allowed to change your mind
  Choosing something now doesn’t cancel your future options, it often creates new ones.

• Small steps count more than big plans
  One internship application, one elective, one side project is enough to get unstuck.

• Waiting for clarity keeps you stuck longer
  Clarity usually comes after action, not before.

• Your brain calms down when you move
  The prefrontal cortex (the thinking part of your brain) feels safer when there’s forward motion. Action signals, “I’m handling this.”

The neuroscience behind this:

When you take action, your prefrontal cortex shifts from “what if” mode to problem-solving mode (and it loves it). That’s why doing something (even something small) often reduces anxiety more than thinking harder.

Learning doesn’t come from information alone - it comes from experience. You will never have all the data you think you need to make the “perfect” decision, and waiting for clarity often delays both growth and adaptability. Instead, choose a direction, take action, and adjust as you learn. Career decisions are not life-or-death choices; they’re flexible, evolving, and meant to change as you do.

Your coach,

Jocelyne

Further Reading:

• Daniel Kahneman – Thinking, Fast and Slow
  A classic on why our brains overthink, avoid uncertainty, and sometimes block action.

• Dr. Wendy Suzuki – Good Anxiety
  A great read on how anxiety and action can work with your brain, not against it.

• Herminia Ibarra – Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader
  One key idea: clarity comes from action. You don’t “think” your way into a career—you experiment your way into it.

• Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha – The Start-Up of You
  Frames careers as evolving projects, not fixed plans.

• TED Talk: “Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals” – Tim Ferriss
  Excellent for students stuck in analysis paralysis.