How to Simplify Making Decisions
Making decisions about things that are really important in our lives can sometimes be overwhelming. We try to think through all of the possibilities and what ifs and uncertainties to make the uncertain - certain. But, we just can't know everything there is to know about the future or the implications of every decision. When faced with big decisions, we might find ourselves cycling through the options over and over in our head as if we could "think" harder about it and the "right" path would be suddenly clear.
AND, if the right path does suddenly appear - terrific. But when it doesn't, here is a really simple process to chunk down those big decisions. At the heart of the process is figuring out what is most important to you and then organizing your desires into needs, wants, and wishes.
Get Clear and Get Personal
To make the "right" decision, you need to identify what EXACTLY is important to you.
First make a list of all of the things that are important to you. For instance, if you were considering job choices, you might list salary, a good boss, security, and interesting work. Write down all the important things you can think of.
Now, you need to get your list in order of priority. Do this by comparing the items one at a time. Ask yourself, if you could have x and not y, which one would you take. For example, if your career criteria list looked like this:
- salary
- security
- good boss
- interesting work
Begin by asking, if you could have good salary but not security, which would you take? If you said security, then you would put security above salary. Next you would compare security to having a good boss. If you could only have one, which would you take. If you said security again, then security would stay at the top of your list. Once you have found the number one item, you would start to compare your second item to the third and the fourth until you have an ordered list.
What's Necessary and What's Nice?
This is a way of sorting what is most important. Once the list is sorted, decide which things you NEED. Which ones do you absolutely have to have to meet your needs? They will be the items at the top of the list. Next, identify which ones you would LIKE to have but don't necessarily need. Finally, identify the ones you WISH you could have; they would just be nice not necessary.
Once you have your most important criteria, evaluate your choices according to the most important values that you have identified. What are the items that are not important and not negotiable?
Do a Gut Check
Finally, check in with your intuition. What is your gut feel about your choices and opportunities? If you took no action, what would it be like one, two or five years from now? If you took option A and not B, what would you miss or regret? What other possibilities might become available?
Trust that your intuition will provide you with the best guidance. Your subconscious mind is able to process much more than your rational mind. When you are recycling, over and over in your rational mind, you are probably ignoring some very important feelings and intuitions about your choices OR you haven't identified what is most important to YOU.
*Photo byLaTur
Regardless of your spiritual orientation, you will find this book packed with leadership tools, workplace wisdom, and professional development tips. 
