In many ways, our lives are defined by the decisions that we make along the way.
While most days are filled with minor decisions that have little impact on our lives, there comes a time in everyone’s life when life-changing decisions must be made.
If you find yourself facing an important decision, it is essential to approach it with the right strategy and frame of mind. With that said, here are five things that you should do when making important decisions.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman
⏱ 15 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Examine Your Motives
Feeling motivated to make a decision doesn’t always mean that the choice you are making is a good one. If you feel internal pressure, external pressure, or both motivating you to make a particular decision, it’s important to question those motivations.
Are your motivations for making a decision good and worth listening to, or are they noise that you need to block out? This is a question that only you can answer, but it’s an important question to address before going out on a limb and making an important decision.
Ask for Advice
In the end, no one is in a better position to make important decisions in your life than you are. With that said, though, going to others for advice can still be extremely helpful.
When you are making an important decision, it’s essential to consider all of the available information. Listening to perspectives other than your own can shine a spotlight on things you might have missed or not considered.
Consider the Pros and Cons
Creating a pros and cons list to help you make a big decision may sound cliched, but the truth is that it works.
Almost every decision comes with both benefits and drawbacks, and it’s up to you to decide if the advantages of making a particular decision outweigh the disadvantages. Until you sit down and start calculating the pros and cons of making a decision, though, this can be difficult to do.
However, with a little consideration, it’s typically easy enough to figure out the major pros and cons that go along with making a big decision. Armed with this list, you should be able to determine whether or not the decision will lead to a net positive in your life.
Look on the Negative Side
Looking at things through rose-colored glasses is a common trap that many people fall into when making big decisions. If you are excited about the potential of a decision that you are making, it can certainly be very easy to overlook the drawbacks.
When making a big decision, it’s essential to take a step back and examine the pessimistic side of things to fully come to grips with the risk that you are taking on.
Related: These Malcolm Gladwell Books Will Make You A Better Human
Visualize Your Ideal Life
When it comes time to make an important decision in your life, visualizing what your ideal life looks like can be very helpful. Once you’ve envisioned your ultimate goals in life, ask yourself whether or not the decision you are about to make will bring you closer to those goals.
If the answer is yes, then chances are it’s the right decision.
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