How to Make A Decision – 6 Effective Methods

We often make many of our daily decisions on autopilot mode: choosing what to eat for breakfast, what outfit to wear for the day, or which route to take to work is often done without much thinking. But sometimes, we are faced with decisions that cause us sleepless nights.

Should I change jobs and give up a secure income? Is it the right time to start a family? Questions like these can sometimes keep us busy for weeks and require careful consideration.

This blog article will give you a quick overview of the difficulties and hurdles in making a decision. You will also learn more about the different phases we go through when making decisions. You will also find tried-and-tested tools and methods to help you make the right decisions even in the most challenging situations.

30-Second Summary:

Decision-making works through the systematic weighing of options and their consequences. Common methods discussed here include pro-and-con lists, the 10-10-10 method, and the coin toss method.

• Become aware of what type of decision-maker you are.
• Recognize and assess your current situation.
• Identify and categorize all possible options.
• Authenticity check – Does the decision align with who I am?
• Make decisions with both heart AND mind!
• After making a decision, it’s time for consistent implementation.

 

Table of Content – How to make a decision:

• Typical challenges and obstacles in decision-making

• The 5 best methods for quick decision-making

• Decision-making – This method is the best tool for making significant decisions

Typical challenges and obstacles in decision-making

1. Perfectionism

Perfectionism can lead to you getting stuck in the decision-making process. You want to make the “perfect” choice but are afraid of making mistakes and getting stuck.

Example: You want to buy a new car. You spend weeks researching all the possible models, taking test drives, and comparing prices. In the end, you may not make a decision at all because you feel that you may have overlooked something important.

2. Procrastination

Procrastination means you keep putting off decisions, often out of fear of the consequences. However, your comfort zone and inner couch potato may also play an important role.

Example: You are thinking about renovating your home and have to decide which color to paint the walls. Instead of committing yourself immediately, you keep putting off the decision because you are not sure whether the color you have selected will match your interior. The renovation is postponed again and again, and you feel increasingly uncomfortable in your home. These examples show that procrastination and perfectionism can complement each other in such situations.

3. Fears and Worries

Fears can prevent you from making good decisions. These fears can relate to various aspects, such as the fear of the unknown, failure, or being seen as someone who doesn’t fit in.

Example: You are considering accepting a new job but are worried that you are not good enough or will not be happy in the new environment. These fears can lead to you delaying the decision or opting for what you are familiar with, even though you are dissatisfied.

Tip: Common Career Change Fears And 3 Tips For Overcoming Them

4. Over-information

In today’s world, you can access an incredible amount of information. This can be overwhelming and lead to decision paralysis.

Example: You want to buy a new computer and start reading online reviews and technical specifications. Then, you watch countless comparison videos. After hours, you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information and feel paralyzed when deciding.

5. Influence of others

Many people are so influenced by others’ opinions and expectations that it seems almost impossible for them to make independent decisions.

Example: You want to start studying, but your friends and family have different opinions about the best subject for you. These external influences can confuse you and cause you to not listen to your own intuition and interests.

6. Social stereotypes and norms

If certain things are seen as the standard or must-have in society or your peer group, it is hard to decide against them. You might fear being wrong or even considered an outsider because the majority has a different opinion.

The 5 best methods for quick decision-making – How to make a decision

Not every decision significantly impacts our lives, and we don’t always have the time to analyze the situation and all the factors involved thoroughly. Here are eight quick decision-making tools that are easy to use in day-to-day life and coaching.

1. Pros and cons list

A simple but effective method for visualizing the pros and cons of each option. You create two lists – one for the positive and one for the negative aspects – and rank the points according to their importance.

2. The 10/10/10 Method for decision-making

In this method, you look at the impact of your decision over the next 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. This helps you quickly weigh up your decision’s short-term and long-term consequences.

3) The Coin Toss Decision-Making Method

The coin toss is an interesting way to decide when you are unsure which option is the right one. You toss a coin. However, it is not the result (heads or tails) that determines your choice but your reaction to the result.

You decide which side of the coin represents which option. After you have tossed the coin, pay attention to how you feel: Are you relieved that this particular option won? Or are you disappointed that the other option was not the winner?

Your emotional reaction can give you valuable clues as to which decision might be right for you. If you are happy about the result, this could indicate that this is the preferred option. If, on the other hand, you are sad or disappointed, this could be a sign that the other option would be more suitable for you.

Tip: Read more about how emotions influence our decisions here.

4. Intuition – a decision-making assistant that is always close

Trust your intuition. It can be an excellent guide, especially if you have experience in a particular area.

5. Creative Visualization – Imagine the best-case scenario vividly

When making decisions, we can easily be guided by the fear of possible negative consequences. However, these are often much less serious than we assume. Take a moment to write down what could happen in the best-case scenario. Could you save money? Discover a great opportunity? Gain new experiences? Imagine a positive scenario as clearly and in as much detail as possible.

How to make a decision – This method is the best tool for making significant decisions

For some decisions in life, a simple list of pros and cons or a coin toss is not sufficient. They seriously impact our lives or are so complex that it is worth taking a closer look.

Have children or not? Move abroad or stay where you are? Should you start your own business or stay employed? Buying a house in the countryside or a city apartment? Split up or give the relationship another chance?

The following steps will help you make decisions on more complex issues:

1.) Self-reflection: what type of decision-maker am I?

Take a brief look at the past and become aware of how you have dealt with major decisions in the past. Do you tend to procrastinate, or do you tend to make rushed decisions that you regret? Do you make decisions based on gut feeling or analyze every little detail objectively and rationally?

Here is an exercise to help you gain clarity about your decision-making behavior.

2) Become aware of my current situation

Make yourself aware of where you are and how the decision will affect your current life. Include your environment in this process. How will the people around you be affected by the decision?

These two steps create the foundation for making a good decision.

3) My options

Many people tend to think purely in black and white when making decisions. Two options usually come to mind spontaneously: Move abroad or stay in the home country. Put all your eggs in one basket as a start-up entrepreneur or remain in a secure job?

Our thoughts always revolve around the pros and cons of the two options. We tend to forget that in addition to options A and B, there are sometimes also options C and D. Why not stay in a secure job for the time being and build up a second source of income in your free time? Then, when things are going well, you can still quit your regular job. Why not live abroad for three months to see what it’s like and then decide?

The worksheet “Making decisions” in the coaching toolkit will help you creatively explore all possible decision paths.

4) Authenticity check – my decision must match myself

We are all different. Everyone has their individual history, personality, priorities, experiences, values, wishes, goals, and dreams. What is the best decision of their life for one person can be a nightmare for another.

For this reason, tips and advice from others can inspire us and give us ideas, but ultimately, we are alone in the decision-making process. We are the ones who have to live with our choices and face the consequences.

Therefore, it is extremely important that our decision is genuine. This means that it matches our personality, our values, and our goals.

In the tool provided here, you can check the authenticity of all your decision-making options.

5) Decision-making with heart, brain, or both?

Our emotions play an essential role in decision-making. Some people try to listen only to their heart and are sure they will never go wrong. Others rationally evaluate every decision to the smallest detail and try to leave as little room as possible for emotions.

What is better?

In the best-case scenario, a combination of both elements! Our emotional impulses are usually spontaneous and give us an initial tendency, while our intellect allows us to analyze and reflect on the situation in detail.

We should consider and harmonize our emotions and intellect equally when making decisions.

In this article, we examine the role of emotions and the mind in decision-making. A coaching tool for weighing and incorporating both elements in every decision is available here.

6) What good is the best decision if it is not implemented?

The best decision-making tools are no good if the result is not put into action. You have already learned about the well-known decision blockers, perfectionism, procrastination, and fears earlier. These should no longer be an obstacle.

You have detailed your starting position and identified and analyzed all options. They were checked against your values, goals, and personality, and you have made a choice that makes both your heart and your head scream “YES!”.

Making a right and good decision not only feels good but also motivates us to actually follow through with it. The best way to do this is to create a specific plan. Think about the steps you need to take to implement it. Don’t just become aware of the priorities and their order, but also think carefully about what skills and resources you will need for the actual implementation.

You may realize that you will need support from other people. Involve as many others as possible who are directly affected or influenced by your decision. This step mainly shows not only those around you but, above all, you that you are serious about your decision. This coaching tool will help you with all these steps to make the perfect decision.

And the most important final point:

Stay true to your decision. You have made your decision to the best of your knowledge and belief. The days of doubt are over. Now, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and actually implement your decision.

All the best!

Weiterführende Quellen & Ressourcen:

• Journal of Behavioral Decision Making (JBDM)
• The role of emotion in decision-making, Lily A Gutnik et. al.
• How to Make a Good Decision? 6 Life-Changing Skills of Decision Making