Discretion is our ability to choose the right thing. That means balancing doing for ourselves as well as doing for others. The key is that this is a system that we build over time.

REINFORCEMENT
In the end, the best decision is the one that you make. Like it or not, all choices have a time constraint, even when one seems to be absent. That's because we can't fool ourselves. We know that we are procrastinating, even if the situation is unimportant. Accordingly, the proof is the action or statement ourself. We feel good about making decisions and learning from the ones that don't optimally turn out.

TRIGGERS
Simply, having to think about the future. We need to regularly make decisions every day. Whether those choices are self-imposed or required by others, when we are not sure what to do, fear can arise. Of course, the worst thing you can do is failing to decide because, inevitably, life moves on and decisions pile up.

RAMIFICATIONS
Procrastination, avoiding responsibility, anything we can do to avoid making a choice. In some cases, as a maladaptive strategy, we will put something off until we can no longer do that, where the sense of urgency literally forces us into making a decision. Of course, making a selection in the heat of the moment is never anywhere near as good as deciding when you're calm cool and collected. Some people will defer to others, letting them decide for them, putting the fate of their future into someone else's hands.

STORY
To some extent, it is easy to help someone who has problems making decisions. They have all the knowledge needed. It's walking them through the critical thinking as a sort of prompter. Then, once they come up with a pretty good decision, nagging them until the enact it. Sometimes it's quashing the maladaptive strategy.

One person I knew had issues ordering dinner. Their solution was to sometimes return food. My remedy was very simple. Never make their problem someone else's problem. If they didn't like what they ordered, they should chomp through every distasteful bit. And for every chew, I told them to think about what they did wrong so they could avoid it next time.

This issue of consequences is key and goes both ways. Not just for a person teaching themselves, but also for the parent raising a child. On numerous occasions I have shown parents - often in real time - how their kids can rise to the occasion when requested. After all, if they do something wrong and aren't punished in any way, what is to motivate them to change? After watching a young boy elbow his grandmother and her letting it slide, I asked him to confirm the offensive action. When he did I made him look me in the eyes and told him that would not be tolerated again. I didn't need to raise my voice or make any threats. My strernness was more than enough. After I got him to agree out loud that he would no longer treat his grandmother abusively, I left the table. You can be certain he sat still for the next 30 minutes until they left.

If you're an adult and your discretion system is lacking, you just need to be pushed to decide. You need to okay with making mistakes knowing that - over time and fairly quickly - your selection process will vastly improve. As with any other shortcoming, enabling the flaw only prolongs it. And the only way to overcome it is by confronting it.