Make clear decisions
when the fog is
thick.
Uncertainty, a lack of guidance, pressure:
major decisions rarely come at a quiet time.
Here’s how to stay on course — and move forward with confidence.
What you’re going through
The fog is throwing even the best decision-makers off course.
Three mechanisms that kick in as soon as uncertainty rises
— and which few leaders are able to identify in time.
01
02
03
The primitive brain takes control
The usual landmarks are disappearing
Unwarranted fears take hold
When faced with uncertainty, the limbic system kicks in. Analytical thinking slows down and our field of vision narrows. We don’t ‘lose our cool’ because we’re weak — it’s a physiological survival response. The first step is to recognise this so that we don’t let it take control.
In the fog, the usual indicators — figures, benchmarks, past experience — become less reliable. Navigating by sight with outdated instruments increases the risk of serious errors. Before changing course, we may need to change our compass.
Fear of failure, fear of conflict, fear of what others think, fear of commitment, fear of missing out. These unconscious ‘drivers’ shape our decisions long before reason comes into play. Identifying them — putting a name to them — is already a step towards regaining some control.
When the map you have leads you to doubt
When there’s no informationand the compass turns
To nowhere that you know well
Let your soul guide you
He’ll guide you well
Sting • Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot
What history teaches us
They decided
without having all the facts.
These leaders did not have all the data.
They had something more solid:
clear values and the ability to listen to their inner voice.
Coco Chanel
1910 – Launching clothes without corsets or embellishments at a time when opulence was the order of the day: a commercial gamble that experts deemed absurd. Chanel’s decision was based on an inner conviction about what women felt — not on market research.
Charles de Gaulle
18 June 1940 — The Appeal from London. Alone, without a mandate, without an army, without official recognition. With nothing but an absolute conviction that France could not accept defeat. Total fog — and a decision that changed the course of history.
Steve Jobs
1997 — Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy. Market data suggested the company needed to diversify and streamline. Jobs did the opposite: he cut 70% of the product range and staked everything on a vision — simplicity designed with people in mind. No financial model supported this decision. But his intuition was unwavering.
Marcel Dassault
After the war, ruined and having emerged from the camps, he staked everything on a French jet aircraft when no one else believed in it. The Mystère IV, followed by the Mirage, were born of this solitary conviction.
A structured approach
5 steps to moving forward
clearly.
Discernment is not an innate talent.
It is a process that can be learnt, practised and repeated.
Here is an approach — adapted from the IDP (Institute for Professional Discernment).
1.
Take a moment to pause and identify the real question
Before looking for answers, take a step back, lay everything out clearly and clarify the question.
Is it a dilemma — to do or not to do? Is it an alternative — option A or option B? Many decisions drag on because the question is unclear.
Formulating it clearly is in itself a decisive step towards clarity.
What is at stake?
Sorting through what troubles me
Clearing up the ambiguity
2.
Regain one’s free will
Step back from spontaneous attractions to gain greater freedom.
Identify the people involved, gather the available objective information, and pinpoint the unconscious ‘attractors’: attachments, fears, and misguided ambitions.
It is not a question of denying one’s emotions — it is about acknowledging them and understanding what they are telling us, so that we are not ruled by them.
Confronting my cognitive biases
Naming my fears
People involved?
3.
Deliberate
There are three complementary and non-mutually exclusive ways of deliberating. Through obviousness or intuition, when something is self-evident without the need for proof. By assessing different scenarios using one’s emotional intelligence — imagining oneself in each scenario and observing what happens internally. Finally, through the free exercise of reason, by weighing up the options in light of their deeper purpose.
Intuition
Emotional intelligence
Purpose and values
4.
Confirm the choice
A decision is confirmed on three levels: first, internally — a sense of peace, alignment and vitality.
Then through trusted third parties who are impartial to the issues at stake.
Finally, through events and facts — the first signs that Life is responding.
These three confirmations do not always occur simultaneously, but their convergence instils confidence.
Inner confirmation
Third-party opinion
Signs from reality
5.
Implement – in other words, actually decide
A decision is only a decision when it is put into practice. Deliberation without action is futile.
It is through commitment that a decision becomes real — and that its effects, whether expected or unexpected, enrich future judgement.
To decide is also to accept that we must learn from things beyond our control.
Take action
Observe the effects
Learning by walking
EXPRESS COACHING JOURNEY
Three weeks to recover
clarity.
A coaching designed for executives and entrepreneurs facing a major decision — and who need a neutral space to explore their options.
EXPRESS COACHING
JOURNEY
- 6 online coaching sessions
- Initial consultation (30 mins)
- Exercises to complete between sessions
- Availability for quick check-ins
- Personalised programme
- Reusable approach and resources
What's in it for you?
Clarity regarding your priorities
Distinguishing between what is urgent and what is essential. Identifying what really matters, beyond the immediate pressures.
Confidence in your decision
Not the certainty that perfection would bring — but the conviction that you have made a decision based on who you truly are.
A reusable approach
A framework for making informed decisions that you can use independently whenever you face an important decision in the future.
A neutral and empathetic perspective
A coach who has no stake in your decision, helping you to listen to and take your inner voice into account.
NEXT STEP
The fog doesn't clear up on its own.
Let’s move forward together.
A free 30-minute consultation to discuss your situation.
No obligation.
You can then decide whether this support is right for you.