“I have no choice” is a powerful statement. Sometimes it’s helpful, because it pushes us in a certain direction. Other times it can be severely limited, and even harmful to us.

Any time you make a decision you have made a choice. Even the phrase “I have no choice” can be thought of as making a choice.

You think (or feel) that your range of options is limited. For example, because they are frightening or challenging, or because you lack the imagination at that point in time to see what they are. But since there are always choices, the real problem isn’t that they exist or don’t exist. It’s more about how we feel about a situation, which in turn affects how we think about it.

There are plenty of ways around this dilemma. The first and most fundamental step is to decide whether you truly believe your ‘I have no choice’ mantra. It may be facilitative (it helps you get on with things), or it might be doing the opposite.

If it’s the latter maybe it would be better not to choose at all, but to leave things to chance.