Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
Everyday you are literally faced with thousands of decisions to make, from what are you going to eat to what is your life purpose? Every facet of your life involves making a choice. Some people get stuck in decision paralysis; feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, confused and tired. As a result, they end up living in fear of making a mistake, suffer from procrastination and indecisiveness.
In order to have a better quality of life, and well being, you need to improve the quality of your decisions. Decision making is a fundamental life skill that unfortunately is not taught in school.
To achieve personal success, happiness and greater satisfaction in life, let’s take a look at how one can improve their capacity to making smarter choices and sharpen their decision making skills.
There is no one size fits all formula for decision making. The best decision you can make is to believe you are in control and to develop the attitude that you can handle whatever challenges come your way. Taking responsibility for your life will ensure that you will approach decision making with less intimidation and more self confidence. Get proactive and instead of reactive.
Framework for Effective Decision Making
DEFINE the problem based on being true to yourself so that you can develop a more authentic understanding and awareness of what’s important to you, namely your values and your goals.
DEVELOP your options by gathering as much relevant information as possible. Brainstorming includes a combination of using your mind (rational thoughts), your heart (your intuitive feelings) and your creativity (thinking outside the box) in order to generate different solutions.
DEVISE A PLAN by weighing the pros and cons. Explore the alternatives so you can choose the best course of action.
DO IT by implementing your plan. Commit to taking action. This involves getting out of your comfort zone and taking a risk. As the proverb goes, “No pain. no gain.”
DETERMINE the results by evaluating the potential success and reviewing the impact of your decision. Follow up by making necessary modifications. Be flexible as you learn to quickly adapt to necessary changes. Learn from your mistakes as they are a vital part of becoming successful. Maximize your outcome and minimize your losses.
Upon reflection and adjustment, refine your goals and repeat the enhanced decision making cycle as you continue to find the best solutions to your problems.
Happy re-cycling!
Antoinette Giacobbe
