By Chris Westfall – Forbes

Every second, there are 6,000 tweets posted on Twitter. In that very same second, 4,400 calls are initiated on Skype and 972 images are posted on Instagram (according to InternetLiveStats.com). That’s a lot of information. The real question is: does all that information make it easier, or harder, to make a decision? Of course the best decision is an informed one. But Sting, when he was with the Police, sang it like this, “Too much information / Driving me insane.” You may not know the song, but the lyrics represent a familiar refrain. The fact is that more information isn’t better, especially when it comes to making an important decision about your career. If you’re lucky enough to be entertaining multiple job offers, or you’ve just got one job to do, you’ve got to make decisions every day. What’s the easiest way to make a difficult decision? Turns out, more data isn’t the answer.

1. The Real Source of Power: The Israeli social scientist, Yuval Harari, writes in his book, Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow, “In ancient times having power meant having access to data. Today having power means knowing what to ignore.” The challenge isn’t with getting all the information you need—Google it if you still have doubts—but getting rid of the information that’s not relevant. Ask yourself if more data points are really what you need in order to make a decision. What’s useful to you? Ever hear of “analysis paralysis?” A little bit of motion—even one small step—can battle that paralysis. Movement can inform you in a way that goes beyond data and statistics. What’s one small step you could take, right now, to get out of your head and step into a possibility? Turns out that sometimes looking inside (instead of online) can be the best place to begin.
2. Searching for Values: When it comes to managing your career, you’re being asked to make choices every day. Working with others in any capacity means making decisions—decisions to perform, to commit, to connect, etc. Every decision exists within a context—a framework, if you will—that can only be defined by you. If you’re having trouble making a decision, look at what it is that matters most to you. Does the status quo matter more than new discovery? There’s no right or wrong answer here. Knowing who you really are, and what you’re about, is the most informed position you can take. Because, when you understand your values, decisions become easier. At least that’s the mantra of David Meltzer, the author of Game Time Decision Making: “Just because advice comes from people who love and care for you doesn’t mean it’s good.” Other perspectives inform your own – but ultimately you have to decide what matters most to you. The good news is: any decision can change. Which is not an excuse to make choices without consideration; instead, consider the ‘learning zone” that Meltzer describes: a place of interesting discovery and personal growth. What would you like to learn, do or experience—and how can you step onto that path? Is your decision a single experiment, viewed through a microscope, or is it part of an entire laboratory—where your exploration can continue far beyond just one single choice?
3. Don’t Go It Alone: The internet can overwhelm, because information does not lead to realization. Realization comes from inside of you—a combination of the heart and the head, chosen in the moment based on what looks like the best choice at the time. Research is not the same as action—and understanding that difference becomes easier when you have the viewpoints of people you trust. Mentors, friends and coaches can help you to see things in new ways—but ultimately, you are in charge of the Business of You. If it looks like everything in life is riding on your shoulders, and your decision is packed with pressure: look again. Are you really alone in this decision? Is anyone, ever? Is there any decision that can’t change? And here’s the real moment of Zen: come what may, aren’t you going to be ok?

Decisions aren’t made from information—because information doesn’t lead to realization. That realization—whatever it may be—comes from where you are, right now, in the moment. We make decisions based on information, yes, but we combine what we know with what we value, feel and need. I’ve made decisions in my life (and you have too, I suspect) that, in retrospect, weren’t necessarily the “best” decisions. Sometimes what looked like a risky decision turned out to be a great one (just ask the redhead I married—hopefully she will back me up on this one).

The good news is: no matter what decision you make, you always have the power of choice—the power to navigate beyond a single moment, and make that moment matter. Take actions to make your decision a good one, because action is what makes a decision valuable. Take the pressure off of yourself, and take action. When it comes to making a decision, if you really want to make the right choice, remember: it’s never tougher than it is in your mind.

Your decision is an important moment—but that moment is one of many. Have you ever met someone who found success, even after a failure in business, bankruptcy, lawsuit or other turmoil? Know anyone who’s happy on their second marriage, or a transfer student who likes this college better than the last one? Very few decisions are fatal or final. If you find that your decision isn’t the right path, you can make another one. You can choose. You can fix. You can adjust and you can move on. One moment—and one decision—at a time.