Some people treat other people’s time like it is refillable. They act as if you can throw away hours, effort, and mental energy and just ask for more later. They think their indecision is harmless. It is not. It is disruptive. It is selfish. And in some cases, it is downright disrespectful. Some of you need to hear this: your inability to make a decision is not a personality quirk. It’s not “being careful.” It’s not “just how you are.” It’s laziness, fear, and self-absorption wrapped into one, and the fact that you let it spill over into other people’s lives is disrespectful.
Picture This!
You ask me for help with something. I agree. I mentally lock it in, shift my priorities, and set aside time so it gets done.
Then, at the last minute, you change your mind. I ask if you are sure. You say yes. I take you at your word. I let it go.
The next day, you are suddenly back asking me to help with the exact same task you told me you no longer needed. This time, you want me to drop everything again to accommodate you.
And my answer is no.
Not because I am petty. Not because I am angry. But because this is not the first time you have done it. You made me rearrange my life for you, then you took it back. And now you expect me to do it again with the same likelihood you will cancel again.
I am not playing that game.
When you ask for someone’s help, you are asking for their time. Time is the one thing they cannot get back.
When you cancel at the last minute, you are not just changing your mind. You are throwing away the mental and logistical work they already put into showing up for you.
When you return asking for the same thing again, you are not just being indecisive. You are assuming they will endlessly rearrange their life to match your lack of planning.
That is entitlement.
If you cannot commit to a decision, then do not drag other people into your half-baked plans.
If you do commit, then follow through.
If you cancel, accept that you may have just closed the door on that help. No one is obligated to keep standing in line for you while you figure out what you want.
Your inability to make up your mind is your burden to carry. It is not a reason for others to constantly rework their schedules.
Respect people’s time. Respect their effort. Respect their willingness to help you. Once you have made a habit of canceling, rescheduling, and changing your mind, you are not just a little indecisive. You are unreliable.
And unreliable people do not get unlimited chances.
—HumanityECW
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