I love to read about how others achieved their goals. You know, the woman who dropped 140 pounds and now looks so healthy! The smoker who tried twelve times, but then finally kicked the habit.

Recently, I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC. He has just released a new book, Win the Day! I haven’t read it yet, I have read several of his other books, and having heard his sermons and read his blogs which serve as the basis for this book, I plan to get a copy.

The focus of his new book is the “seven daily habits to help you stress less and accomplish more.”

In it, Batterson notes that the average person, largely unknowingly, makes about 35,000 decisions per day. No wonder we have decision fatigue!

So how do we make good decisions, decisions which can lead to goal achievement? He says that one key is making “pre-decisions.”

What are pre-decisions? They are the decisions you should make before you are faced with a decision. He gives the example of a woman who wanted to exercise, but she found it very hard to climb out of bed early in the morning and get to the gym. Once she was at the gym, exercising was easy. But, finding the motivation to go to the gym was tough. So, instead of focusing on exercising, she made the “pre-decision” to ritualize calling the cab. Once she was in the cab, exercise would naturally follow. She scheduled a daily pick up.

Pre-decisions can help you cut back on the number of decisions you need to make (Remember that 35,000 figure!). Steve Jobs decided to only wear a black turtleneck and jeans to work. Every day. He did this so that he would never spend time wondering what to wear. This one small pre-decision removed 365 smaller decisions from his life every year.

Pre-decisions can also direct your attention to the source of the problem'. Let’s say you want to quit smoking. If you firmly decide not to smoke, you will not have to make the decision every time you are offered a cigarette. You may still have cravings, but if you pledge not to hold another cigarette, then you are left with how to beat the craving…not whether or not to smoke.

I have just begun using this tool in my own goal setting. I now ask myself “What decision can I make beforehand to make the goal easier to achieve? What can I determine now to make the barriers I sent up—my indecision—easier to overcome?”

One pre-decision I have recently made concerns exercise. It is so easy for me to exercise in the spring, summer, and fall months. I leash up the dogs, put in my earbuds, and listen to podcasts as I walk. I do this without hesitation…there is no need for pre-decisions, because just the pleasure of getting outdoors breaks down any mental barriers I have to exercising.

However, in the dark, cold winter months, like we are experiencing now, when going outside is less an option, I find that the treadmill does not have the same allure. So, the “pre-decision” I have made is to only allow myself to listen to one of my favorite podcasts when I am on the treadmill. Wanting to enjoy the podcast, I get on with lacing up my tennis shoes and get on with it!

What pre-decisions can you make to help you break down barriers, meet goals, and/ or reduce the number of decisions you have to make?

Pre-decisions. Another great tool in the goal achievement toolbox!