Every day we make choices that can change the course of our lives. Some of these decisions aren’t easy but we are able to take them after some thought. And at other times, we feel stuck because we are unsure which move is the right one. One wrong choice and the tide can turn against us and our life as we know it will never be the same.
It could be something as simple as deciding what to wear for an interview, which movie to watch or something life-changing like a career shift or the decision to be in a relationship. Our choices make us who we are. Hence, knowing how to make good decisions is key to living your best life. Like author and journalist Germany Kent once said, “Life is about choices. The better you become at making good choices the better your life will be.”
Unfortunately, not everyone has the confidence that allows them to make the right decisions at the right time. Sometimes we make decisions in a rush or under stress, particularly when we are faced with some kind of a crisis.
But there are a few ways to stay calm and make correct decisions in those situations. These decision-making skills can be developed with time and experience. Here, we have listed a few suggestions that can help improve one’s decision-making ability.
Learn from experience
They say experience is the best teacher in life. The more learnings you gain along the way, the more you grow as an individual. So when making a choice, take lessons from the past and use them to improve your decision-making ability.
Previous decisions that you have made can be helpful when you are about to make a similar one. If your past decision hadn’t yielded the result you expected, you can analyse and use a fresh approach towards your goal this time around. Remember to always give equal attention to the decisions that worked out and the ones that didn’t. Doing so will improve your decision-making ability immensely because failures also give great insight.
Align your decision with goals
Decision making should first and foremost impact your goals in a positive way. So think hard and see if the choices that you are making are in line with your objectives or not.
For instance, if you aim to play professional football, actively participating in other sports will not help in your mission. At the same time, you need to think about your physical fitness. So when you are deciding on how to divide your time, think about how to include some physical activities in your plan. Going to the gym will be a better hobby than playing chess in such a scenario.
Do not be overconfident
Noble prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman once said, “What would I eliminate if I had a magic wand? Overconfidence.”
When you are about to make a decision, chances are you will have second thoughts – whether you are right or wrong, if the decision will benefit or harm? Truth is you can never be as certain as you’d like to be. The best thing to do here is to test the decision before you finalise. Consider all other alternatives before zeroing on the one that you deem is right.
Learn from experience, align your decision with goals, do not be overconfident, gather information, weigh your options, consider the consequences, limit your choices, and take yourself out of the situation.
Learning from experience involves analyzing past decisions and their outcomes. This practice helps you understand what worked and what didn’t, enabling you to make more informed choices.
Aligning decisions with goals ensures that your choices are in line with your desired outcomes.
Comments