{"id":4459,"date":"2020-10-29T17:19:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T17:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?p=4459"},"modified":"2021-09-19T15:26:06","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T15:26:06","slug":"how-to-improve-decision-making-in-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/how-to-improve-decision-making-in-life\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Improve Decision-Making in Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“Not deciding is a decision itself”, my friend said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just didn’t know which option to choose, consumed by paralysis analysis and unwilling to commit either way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we’re the sum of our choices in life, at that moment I didn’t add up to much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the right choice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was trying to decide between moving to Bristol or London in the UK after receiving good job offers in both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’d lived in London previously and still had friends there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, I’d only trialled Bristol for 2 weeks and didn’t know anyone there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this, I got a good gut feeling for the place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was it time for a new chapter? (Read on to find out.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suppose this was a relatively big decision, but it’s one of many I’ve struggled with over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outcome strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I think decision making is so tough because we’re obsessed with making the right choice, largely due to the societal conditioning that success is everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If our value is predicated on performance, there are necessarily good and bad outcomes for every action, so we’d better choose the right option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fallout? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A kind of strangling perfectionism that inhibits our natural feelings for each situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, we try to cognitively deconstruct an unknowable future, imagining myriad ramifications of our present choice. This is a faulty approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, outcomes aren’t good or bad, but merely different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We waste excessive time and emotional energy trying to predict a best-case scenario which doesn’t always exist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to remember that multiple permutations of the future exist and it’s impossible to map the many combinations ahead of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, we can do our best, but we often execute poorly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here’s some advice on how to improve decision-making in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When you have to make a choice and don\u2019t make it, that is in itself a choice.” William James<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to improve decision-making in life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Values<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Start here. Values can help nudge your choices in a more aligned direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An easy example would be a vegan, whose beliefs around animal welfare make not eating meat an easy decision<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, if you’re religious, you might seek a long term relationship with a like mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe a more subtle example would concern your relationship with money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re a simple living minimalist, becoming a banker might be misaligned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, this requires some upfront effort and self-reflection, but ultimately, using your values as a choice-making template is worth the payoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Boundaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drawing decision lines in the sand is another useful technique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many of us strive doggedly to keep our options open, it often isn’t an optimal approach, where simplification would provide a better alternative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it’s amazing that life provides almost unlimited opportunities, the result is often a decision-making minefield. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way to safely bypass the landmines is by artificially limiting your options with non-negotiables<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By clearing away the definite no’s, the potential yes’s become clearer by default. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being vocal about these pre-made choices is also useful to inform friends and family of your position, thereby avoiding inappropriate offers and repetitive decisions<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, I recently set the intention to stop drinking alcohol for six months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My network knew I was off the sauce and didn’t try to tempt me into boozing, which saved significant emotional energy saying no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Journaling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many of us face decision-making dilemmas because we try to solve problems using our heads alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the barrage of daily content we consume, it’s no wonder our minds are blocked and unable to sift signal from noise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simultaneously, we regularly ignore a powerful resource, honed by millennia of evolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our gut feelings are essential in aiding accurate decisions that align with our inner-most beliefs and desires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, due to cognitive overload, these cues are often muted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why I try to practice stream of consciousness journaling as part of my morning routine<\/a> where possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it like flushing your psychic constipation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By quietening the machinations of the mind, our subconscious gut feelings can float to the surface, providing incredible insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don’t regard decisions as all or nothing outcomes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they undoubtedly influence our trajectory, they shouldn’t cause us to procrastinate on making progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are few irreversible outcomes in life and if we do intermittently make a misaligned decision, we can generally course-correct quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P.S.<\/strong> If you’re wondering, I chose to move to London, partly due to the job and also the proximity of friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I don’t regret the decision, London didn’t last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In hindsight, Bristol may have been a more aligned choice at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there a no mistakes, just alternative outcomes, and that particular sequence of events informed who I am today \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Not deciding is a decision itself”, my friend said. <\/p>\n

He was right. <\/p>\n

I just didn’t know which option to choose, consumed by paralysis analysis and unwilling to commit either way. <\/p>\n

If we’re the sum of our choices in life, at that moment I didn’t add up to much.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Improve Decision-Making in Life | Bloomsoup<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to know how to improve decision making in life? 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