What Is Decision Making

We are always having to make decisions. These choices range from the seemingly little and unimportant ones, like what to eat in the morning. to perhaps transform our lives: should I stay and improve our relationship, or should we call it quits? 
Making decisions may not seem like a huge deal when it comes to the minor things, but the ramifications are far greater when it comes to larger decisions.

The worst thing to do when faced with difficult choices is to do nothing at all. You'll discover that even in situations where you feel as though you've made the incorrect choice, you've still learnt something important that will help you go on with new knowledge when you start to view life as something that is happening to you rather than for you. You might lose important time delaying the tiny decisions in life even if you're not having trouble learning how to make a decision that will change your life. 

Occasionally, the processes we employ to reach judgements present us with new difficulties. To improve our decision-making, we may, nevertheless, overcome challenges and reach our destination more quickly if we choose to choose a particular route. You'll position yourself for success by learning the clarity, purpose, and decisiveness you need to make your next big decision by adhering to these four guidelines for decision-making.

RULE 1: WRITE IT DOWN

All significant or challenging decisions need to be recorded in writing. You will begin "looping" if you attempt to learn how to make decisions in life just by utilising your intellect. This is what that implies: You may first think, "That's a good idea, but what if this happens?" after making a decision. Writing things down will give you a physical list that will make it easier for you to notice the opportunity or challenge that is directly in front of you. This takes the edge off of the circumstance and frees your thoughts to concentrate on the work at hand rather than wallowing in self-doubt.
Recall that energy flows where attention goes. You will lose focus and become lost in your own thoughts if you are unable to concentrate on the decision.

Emotional triad psychology holds that language, attention, and physiology are all related. If you change one of those parts, the others will adjust to the new situation as well. Your language and your body will adjust to the circumstances as you direct your attention on the matter at hand. While you are outlining the choice you are trying to make, pay close attention. Consider the advantages and disadvantages, but also consider your body's reaction. Do you have a gut feeling about it? You'll probably feel messages from your body, so learn to read them.

Additionally, as you put the choice down, be mindful of the words you use. Your choice of words will convey how you feel about the situation. It's likely that you are enthusiastic about the choice if you are speaking positively about it. On the other hand, negative language is a strong indicator of dread. Look closely at this phrase to see the motivation for this specific choice. For instance, unpleasant language used when making a significant decision may be motivated by fear. Once you understand this, fear cannot use you; rather, it can utilise you. Consider whether making the choice is "a must" for you in order to accomplish another objective. If so, acknowledge that nothing will prevent you from reaching your objective and use fear as a motivator rather than a hindrance. You can reduce the influence of your emotional reaction and learn how to make a significant decision in a composed manner by first recognising the feeling.

RULE 2: GET CLEAR ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS

Once you've determined that a particular choice is "a must" for you, it's time to be honest with yourself about its implications. When it comes to making a significant decision, it's important to know exactly what you want and why. You must become completely clear about your goal and desired result, and you must be able to picture it as though it has already happened. You won't follow through if you lose sight of your motivations. Why are you going down this route? Will you gain physically, intellectually, or professionally from this decision?
Regardless of the result, you are more likely to feel that you have made the proper choice if you can articulate your own logic more precisely. Even if you may know empirically that a particular choice is incorrect, you may find it more convenient to do nothing or to take the simpler route. Avoid doing this. Remind yourself of your justifications for decisions you know are good for you, and keep repeating them until you feel confident in your ability to make them.

RULE 3: LET GO OF FEAR

Don't allow fear control how you make important decisions in life. When learning how to make a decision that can change our lives, one important thing to remember is that we often have a dread of things not working out. You'll nearly never obtain complete certainty, so don't wait for it. Fear may serve as a justification for continuing to engage in an unhealthy relationship. Fear maintains you in a state of inaction, which makes it feel comfortable. Since it feels more familiar, the path of inaction probably seems less scary, but it will prevent you from achieving progress in any area of your life.

You must risk everything for yourself. Having a standardised decision-making process is one method to do this. Having a backup plan can provide you with the confidence you need to move forward when big decisions are often accompanied by uncertainty. It will assist you in concentrating on how to approach a significant decision.

RULE 4: RECOGNISE YOUR VALUES

Realise that choosing a course of action involves defining values. Making a choice is frequently difficult because there are frequently multiple possible outcomes. When considering your options in life, you'll need to ask yourself, "What actually is the most important thing to me out of all these things I want? What is the second one? What's the third one? Are you more concerned with building a successful career than you are with cultivating a good relationship, for instance? Which would you prefer: reaching your objectives or fostering greater workplace trust? Even if you might not achieve everything you're aiming for, you probably will end up in a better place than you are right now. It will be much simpler for you to plan the best course of action for your life if you are clear about your priorities. 
Feeling lucky? You are now prepared to handle tough decisions since you have mastered these four guidelines. Find out more about making critical decisions.