Ever had a moment where making a decision felt weirdly hard? Of course you have. For me, it happened recently while I was trying to decide whether I was running too much too close to an upcoming 50k trail race. I went back and forth endlessly, second-guessing myself. You know the feeling.
Then I remembered a simple rule I like to use: what would my best friend tell me to do? The answer was obvious. They’d say it was time to back off a bit, prioritize recovery, and show up to the race feeling good instead of fried.
Why does this work? When we’re inside a decision, we’re often too close to see the bigger picture. Emotions, ego, and attachment cloud our judgment. Stepping outside of ourselves creates distance. And imagining advice from a best friend helps even more because that person knows us well and genuinely wants what’s best for us.
So next time you’re stuck, try it. Ask yourself: what would my best friend say to do?
