GoodGuys2GreatMen Video Podcast

How To Get Better At Making Difficult Decisions

Dan Dore & Steve Horsmon • 5m 3s • 23 July 2025

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How To Get Better At Making Difficult Decisions
Video overview: If you keep going over the same options and still can’t decide what to do, you may not be stuck because you lack information — you may be stuck because fear is running the meeting. I’m going to talk about the difference between decisions made to avoid pain and choices made to move toward the life, relationship, and man you actually want to become.

Being stuck in limbo can wear a man down.

You wake up thinking about the same problem. You go to bed thinking about the same problem. You turn it over in your mind while you’re driving, working, showering, eating dinner, or pretending to be present with your kids.

Should I stay quiet or say something?

Should I give her space or move closer?

Should I wait longer or take action?

Should I fight for the marriage or start preparing for life to change?

Should I keep doing what I’m doing, or is this the moment I finally make a different move?

And every time you think you’re getting close to a decision, another fear shows up.

“What if I make it worse?”

“What if she leaves?”

“What if I regret it?”

“What if I lose money?”

“What if the kids suffer?”

“What if I’m wrong?”

So you don’t decide.

You tell yourself you’re being careful. You tell yourself you’re gathering more information. You tell yourself you’re waiting for the right time. But deep down, you know something else is happening.

You’re scared.

And I say that with respect, not judgment.

A lot of good men get trapped right there. They’re not stupid. They’re not lazy. They’re not weak. They’re just trying to make a life-changing decision while their nervous system is screaming at them to avoid pain at all costs.

That’s a very hard place to think clearly from.

When fear is in charge, every option looks dangerous. Staying feels dangerous. Leaving feels dangerous. Speaking up feels dangerous. Staying silent feels dangerous. Taking action feels risky. Doing nothing feels safer for a minute, even though it slowly eats away at your self-respect.

That’s why limbo feels so awful.

It gives you the illusion of safety while quietly stealing your confidence.

You may not realize it at first, but every time you avoid a decision you know you need to face, you teach yourself that you can’t trust yourself. You become more dependent on other people’s reactions. You start waiting for your wife, your job, your finances, your mood, or the universe to make the decision for you.

And that’s when a man starts feeling powerless in his own life.

This episode is about the difference between decisions made from fear and choices made toward what you want.

That difference matters.

A fear-based decision usually asks, “How do I avoid the worst thing?”

A grounded choice asks, “What kind of man do I want to be, and what moves me closer to that?”

Those are very different questions.

One keeps you circling around pain. The other starts pointing you toward direction.

Now, I’m not saying you should ignore consequences. That would be foolish. Real decisions have real costs. Marriage, divorce, money, kids, home, work, and family are not small things. You don’t just puff your chest out and make reckless choices because you’re tired of feeling stuck.

That’s not confidence.

That’s impulsiveness dressed up as strength.

But living forever in fear is not wisdom either.

At some point, a man has to stop asking only, “What might go wrong?” and start asking, “What do I actually want to create with my life?”

That question can be uncomfortable because it puts responsibility back in your hands.

It means you can’t hide behind confusion forever. It means you can’t keep pretending that not choosing is neutral. It means you have to become honest about your desires, your values, your boundaries, your commitments, and your willingness to act.

That’s where many men need support.

Not because another man can make the decision for you. We won’t do that. That’s not our job, and it wouldn’t help you anyway.

But we can help you see what fear is doing to your thinking. We can help you separate panic from truth. We can help you stop making your wife’s reaction the center of every choice. We can help you find the part of you that already knows more than you think.

Because most men are not as confused as they believe.

They’re conflicted.

They know something needs to change, but they’re afraid of what change will cost. They know what kind of man they want to be, but they’re scared to disappoint people. They know what they want to say, but they’re afraid of the response. They know the current situation is not working, but the unknown feels worse.

That’s human.

But it can’t be where you live forever.

A man cannot build confidence by waiting until every risk disappears. He builds confidence by making honest choices, taking the next step, and learning that he can handle the consequences like a grown man.

Not perfectly.

Honestly.

That’s the part I want you to feel here.

You don’t need a perfect decision before you move. You need a clearer relationship with yourself. You need to know whether you’re choosing from fear or choosing from your values. You need to know whether you’re trying to avoid discomfort or move toward a life you respect.

That applies to your marriage. It applies to your work. It applies to your health. It applies to your fatherhood. It applies to every place where you’ve been sitting in the fog hoping the fog will choose for you.

It won’t.

And brother, I don’t say that to pressure you. I say it because I want you to feel your own agency again.

You still have choices.

Even if none of them are easy.

Even if you can’t guarantee the outcome.

Even if someone else doesn’t like what you decide.

You can become the kind of man who stops living in limbo and starts moving with honesty, courage, and self-respect.

That’s not about rushing.

It’s about leading yourself again.

You don’t have to stay stuck in limbo

If you keep circling the same hard decision and talking yourself out of every next step, we can help you slow down and see what fear is doing to your thinking. Come talk to one of us and we’ll help you get clearer, steadier, and more honest about the direction you want to move.

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About the Hosts

Steve Horsmon & Dan Dore | Certified Professional Men’s Coach

Steve Horsmon and Dan Dore have spent over a decade supporting good men who are confused, frustrated, and afraid that their marriages and families are falling apart with no idea what to do about it. We've both experienced the same emotions that you're going through now. We know what it feels like to try all the mainstream try harder, be nicer advice while watching things continue to get worse. And that's exactly why Goodguys2Greatmen exists. Since 2012, we've coached thousands of men through some of the hardest periods of their lives; marriage breakdown, emotional distance, sexless relationships, fears of divorce or separation. We focus on practical solutions to help you survive some of the most challenging and painful experiences that a man can go through. This podcast is for men who are done waiting for their life and relationships to improve and are ready to make some bold decisions so that you become more calm and confident and start moving toward what you really want.