Making Good Decisions

By: Julie Knapp

Making good decisions can be a tough skill to hone. When you have several options, especially those options all seem like good ones, the act of making a choice can be overwhelming and fill you with self-doubt. Mulling over decision making for hours or days, however, can come with its own set of problems. Use these tips to fine-tune your decision making process so that you can reach a conclusion quickly and feel confident about your final choices.

Know the Problem
What seems like one decision can sometimes actually be a knot of several different problems all connected and integrated. Pinpoint each problem and tackle them separately.

Do Your Homework
To assess your options with focus and consider your priorities, gather as much information as you can.

What's the Worst Case Scenario?
Think about what could go wrong with each decision you could make. Could you live with the consequences?

Consider the Pros and Cons
A classic decision making process, a pros and cons list can help you see how the choices measure up against each other.

Ask Your Confidants
Opinions of your friends and family members can help add another perspective to your decision making process. Consider their feedback, but remember that you are the one who has the ultimately make the decision for yourself.

Visualize the Positive Results
Often, it's easy to imagine the worst that could happen, but difficult to imagine making a solid and positive decision. Try to visualize how you'll feel after each possible choice. Will you feel satisfied? Proud? Worried? Regretful? Examine each feeling and why you see that result.

Don't Forget Your Values
Making good decisions can be as basic as following our values. If you make a decision that is right in line with your values, you'll be more likely to feel at peace with what you decide.

Trust Your Intuition
Going with your gut feeling might not always make sense, but often it can give you major decision making guidance. Not gut feeling to be found? Take a quiet walk or meditate while you imagine the possible outcomes to gage your first reactions.

Stick to Your Decision
Once you make the decision, make it in confidence. If you've followed the previous steps, you're choosing the best option. 

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