Decisions come in all sizes and we make a whole lot of them. For a long time, I’ve wondered how you make good decisions – well, more good decisions than bad ones. If decision making is a skill, there ought to be a framework and a process for getting better. Here are my steps.
First, define “good.” In my case, “good” is not looking back 6 months down the line and saying “Damn it. I knew better.”
Second, figure out a process before you arrive at a big decision. Mine involves 3 steps –
1. Do your research and form an opinion.
2. Seek counsel – align why’s and how’s. This means going to wiser friends and figuring out how they would approach a problem. The first step is figuring out who would be best placed to help – this is done by understanding their motives/”why” and “how” they would approach it. More often than not, folks you go to for counsel/advice are aligned on “why” because they get you and why you do things and would probably do things similarly. So, the next step is to test if their approach is something you would be comfortable with.
3. Understand the other end of the stick. This is something I don’t do nearly as well as I should. Once you know a path forward, try and sit beside a strong thinker and understand what the decision implies. Every decision closes some doors and it helps understanding what the consequences of your decision could be (financial, emotional, etc.)
Third, whatever your decision, just run it by yourself and pay attention to that feeling at the pit of your stomach. Sometimes your gut rejects the most logical of decisions and gives you an unpleasant feeling. My learning has been to listen to it.
And finally, treat your decision like Gandhi did – as an experiment. It might not work. And that’s okay. Track the results and use the feedback you receive from life to tailor your decision making next time around. Like most things, it’s an iterative process but it’s a process worth paying attention to because there are few skills as valuable as learning to make decisions you can live with.
A Learning a Day 