Life is full of big decisions, and I’ve had to make my fair share.

When is the right time to have kids while maintaining a full-time job?

• Should I switch from print to television?
• Is transferring my family overseas the right move?
• Should I buy this car?

I’ve made these tough decisions a little easier by asking myself one simple question: Will I regret not doing this in five years?

I’ve talked a lot about fear of regret in my articles. That’s because fear is a powerful motivator. It can help push you to do the hard things. After all, nothing is worse than regretting not doing something because you didn’t have the guts.

Take one of the choices I struggled with: When is the right time to have kids? I always knew I wanted children. Looking back, I can’t even imagine that I ever paused for a second, worried about how it would affect my career. And yet, there was a time very early on when I didn’t know if having children meant I needed to take a step back.

I wrestled with this decision for a long while. It wasn’t until I asked myself that question—would I regret not having children in five years?—that things crystallized for me.

So if you’re ever paralyzed by a big life decision, make it simple by asking yourself the above question. And remember, there is no shame in fear. How you deal with it is what determines your success.