Decision Making (part 1)
What does it mean to be a good decision maker and why does it matter? Considering that we literally live our lives one choice at a time, it makes sense to give our decision-making abilities some thought. No matter what phase of life, our choices literally direct our lives. We choose everything from friends and activities to our vocation, where we live and how we interact with the world. We develop our character one choice at a time. We also create habits (good ones and bad ones) one choice at a time.
Do you ever feel like you have no control of what happens in your life? One of the saddest things a person can say is “I had no choice.” We can’t control everything that happens around us, but our ability to choose our response makes us uniquely human. Some choices simplify our lives, while others complicate it. Some lead to health, and others disease. Some choices lead us closer to the people we want to be, and others further away.
How do you make decisions? Whether you’re an analytical thinker, or you act based on what feels right, the most important question remains the same; “does this choice align with who I want to be?” In other words, does it align with my values? If the answer is yes, then it’s most likely a valid choice. If the answer is no, it is leading you away from who you want to be. The simple truth about being a good decision maker is thoughtful consideration of this question.
For example, let’s say I’m considering a stop at the donut shop on the way into work. I ask myself, “would this choice lead me towards my goals or away from my goals?” If my vision for myself is having a healthy body, this probably doesn’t align with my goals. However, if my vision is to enjoy the moment and start my days carefree and with a smile, maybe a donut aligns nicely.
No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you can always do the next right thing.
If you are highly emotional, keep in mind that while your emotions do matter, it’s difficult to align with your values while making a purely emotional decision. In next month’s blog, I’ll discuss handling emotions with decision making.
