Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Erin Conlon, PCC, JD and by How.com.vn staff writer, Dev Murphy, MA. Erin Conlon is an Executive Life Coach, the Founder of Erin Conlon Coaching, and the host of the podcast "This is Not Advice." She specializes in aiding leaders and executives to thrive in their career and personal lives. In addition to her private coaching practice, she teaches and trains coaches and develops and revises training materials to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. She holds a BA in Communications and History and a JD from The University of Michigan. Erin is a Professional Certified Coach with The International Coaching Federation.
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Having to make a decision can be nerve-wracking, especially if the stakes are high—but even low-stakes situations may stop you in your tracks as you carefully weigh every option. There’s no simple formula for making the “right” decision every time, but there are a number of steps you can take to ensure you’re making the most informed, confident choice. Keep reading to learn more—or not! The choice is yours!
Things You Should Know
- To make an informed decision, make sure you understand the choice you need to make: why does a decision need to be made? What are your options?
- Identify the worst-case scenario of each choice so that you’re prepared for whatever comes, and try to have a backup plan in place if possible.
- Weigh all your alternatives carefully to understand the possible outcomes of each choice. Who will be affected by your decision?
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
- Avoid getting too hung up on keeping your options open. Researchers have found that our aversion to letting doors close, so to speak, results in poor decisions.[12]Thanks
- Give yourself a time limit if you have to make the decision soon or if the decision is relatively unimportant. The risk of "paralysis by analysis" is real. If you are trying to decide what movie to rent this weekend, don't spend an hour writing down titles.Thanks
- Remember that at some point, indecision becomes a decision to do nothing, which might be the worst decision of all.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/decisionmaking.htm
- ↑ http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/10/great-leaders-are-great-decision-makers/
- ↑ http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_00.htm
- ↑ http://www.mdaap.org/Bi_Ped_Challenging_Catastrophic_Thinking.pdf
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/201004/are-your-goals-value-congruent
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/03/28/6-tips-for-making-better-decisions/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201311/how-do-you-make-major-life-decision
- ↑ Timothy D. Wilson et al., “Introspecting about Reasons Can Reduce Post-Choice Satisfaction,”Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 19 (1993): 331–339.
- ↑ http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/10/great-leaders-are-great-decision-makers/
About This Article
To make good decisions, wait until you're calm and clear-headed so you're not letting your emotions control your decision making, whether they're positive or negative. If you're in a rush, take some slow, deep breaths to quickly relax so you can be rational. Then, go through all of your options and weigh the pros and cons of each so you can find out which choice is the best. If you're still not sure, try going with your gut and trusting your instincts. Remember that it's OK to make the wrong decision sometimes as long as you thought it through and tried your best. To learn how to overcome the fear of making decisions, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
"I had made promises to switch schools to my friends at a different high school, and I felt guilty that I wanted to go back on it once I met the love of my life and other amazing people. I decided to stay, because my friends at both high schools understood, and I made a decision that was good for me. I was originally going to transfer out of guilt, but it's all okay."..." more
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