Today I will tell you what methods will allow you to accept correct solution and learn to make decisions in general. This article will be based not only on my experience, but also on the decision-making methodology outlined in famous book Chip Heath and Dean Heath - ". This technique helps to do effective choice in business, in business, in career and in education. Here I will outline the main points of this technique, and also talk about what helps me personally in finding the right solutions.

Method 1 - Avoid "narrow borders"

Often we fall into the trap of "narrow frames", when our thinking reduces all the diversity possible solutions There are only two problems: yes or no, to be or not to be. “Should I divorce my husband or not?” "Should I buy this one? expensive car Or ride the subway? Should I go to the party or stay at home?

When we choose only between "Yes or No", in fact, we are stuck in only one alternative (eg, breaking up with her husband, making a purchase) and ignoring the others. But maybe there are other options in your relationship besides breaking up with your partner and returning to the status quo. For example, try, discuss problems, go to family psychologist etc.

If you choose not to buy an expensive car on credit, it doesn't mean that exhausting subway rides are your only remaining alternative. You can probably buy a cheaper car. But, perhaps, the most correct choice will lie in a different plane of decisions. Maybe it will be more convenient and profitable to rent an apartment closer to work. Or change jobs to less distant from home.

An alternative to choosing between different breeds cats or dogs, it may be for you to go to the nursery and choose the homeless pet that you like best.

This seems like an obvious tactic for thinking about choices, yet many people continue to fall into the same traps. There is always a temptation to reduce the problem to a yes or no dichotomy. We instinctively strive for this, because it is much easier to consider the problem only in black and white, and not in all its diversity. But it turns out that with this approach we only create difficulties for ourselves.

Also, we often try to consider a choice between two extremes, although it is possible to find a compromise between them in the middle. Or we don’t notice that both of these extremes can be implemented simultaneously and in fact it is not at all necessary to choose one of them.

Method 2 - Expand the selection

This method is a development of the previous method. Many of us know situations when we want to make an important purchase, for example, to buy an apartment. We arrive at the first apartment and we are fascinated by it appearance, and the realtor offers "favorable" terms of the transaction and thereby provokes us to make a quick decision. And we are already thinking not about “which apartment to choose”, but about “whether to buy this particular apartment or not to buy”.

Do not hurry. It is better to look at five apartments, instead of buying the first one that comes across. Firstly, it will allow you to better navigate the real estate market. Perhaps there are better suggestions. Secondly, the time you spend looking at the rest of the offers will “cool down” your instant emotions. And momentary emotions always interfere with the right choice. While you are under their influence, you may overlook some obvious shortcomings of the apartments you like, but when time will pass, you can see the whole picture more clearly.

We become too attached to the goal to which our thinking is initially tuned. And this forms a strong inertia in decision-making: we are ready to see only what confirms our decision, and we ignore what contradicts it. For example, you wanted to enter a certain university from school. After a few years you failed on entrance exams. And now you are thinking about preparing hard and trying your luck again in a year. You dismiss all the arguments of your friends in favor of choosing another university, as you are used to thinking that your choice is the best.

But what if in the few years it took you to finish school, the situation has changed and the university you want to go to is no longer the same as before? Suddenly new promising educational establishments? Don't get attached to your choice and spend comparative analysis. Expand your selection! Check out curriculum and teaching staff in other institutions. What other universities offer a similar program?

Getting less attached to one alternative will help you helper method"disappearance of options".

Variant Disappearance Method

Imagine that the alternative you have chosen cannot be chosen for some reason. For example, the university you want to enter, let's say, was closed. Now think about what you would do if this really happened. And start doing it. You would probably look at other possibilities, and probably in the process you'll discover how many great options you've missed out on because you've become fixated on one alternative.

Method 3 - Get as much information as possible

The authors, Chip, and Dean Heath are surprised that it is common practice for many people to read reviews before buying electronics, booking hotels, or choosing hairdressers. But at the same time, when it comes to choosing a job or university, fewer people use this wonderful practice, which helps to get a lot of valuable information.

Before making a decision about employment in a particular company, you can study the reviews of people who worked in it. This is better than relying only on the information provided to you by HR and the future boss.

The Heath brothers suggest asking one question at the interview for this.

“Who worked in the position before me? What is his name and how can I contact him?

There is nothing wrong with trying to get firsthand information. When I learned about this practice, I was surprised that, despite the obvious advantages of this approach, it never occurred to me to use it during my job search!

You may not always be given the contacts of these people. In this case, it will help you get information practice of leading questions.

This practice is good because it allows you to get information from someone who is reluctant to share it.

At the interview:

Instead of asking what prospects and conditions you offer (you may be promised brilliant prospects and good conditions work), ask more direct questions:

“How many people have left this position in the last three years? Why did this happen? Where are they now?"
Asking this question will help you get more reliable information about your future work.

In the shop:

One study found that when sales consultants, motivated to sell as many products as possible, were asked the question, "Tell me something about this iPod," only 8% of them reported problems with it. But when they had to answer the question: “What is his problem?” 90% of all managers honestly reported the shortcomings of this model.

Method 4 - Get rid of momentary emotions

As I wrote above, instant emotions can greatly interfere with decision making. They make you lose sight of something important and focus on small things that later turn out to be insignificant.

Many of us face the dire results of impulsive and unconscious choices, realizing that at the time of making the decision, we were blinded by our emotions and didn't see the full picture.

This may concern an early marriage or an impulsive divorce, expensive purchases or employment. How to avoid the influence of these emotions? There are several ways.

The first way to get rid of emotions - 10/10/10

This method allows you to go beyond the narrow perspective that instantaneous impulses set. It consists in asking yourself three questions before making a decision:

• How will I feel about this decision in 10 minutes?
• And after 10 months?
• What will happen in 10 years?

For example, you fell in love with another man and want to leave your children and leave your husband. If you make this decision, what will you think of it in 10 minutes? Probably, the euphoria of falling in love and a new life will rage in you! Of course, you will not regret your decision.

But after 10 months, passion and love will subside (it always happens), and perhaps when the veil of euphoria that has covered your eyes disappears, you will see the shortcomings of the new partner. At the same time, a bitter feeling of loss of something dear will begin to manifest. You may find that what you used to take for granted was actually a benefit of your previous relationship. And this is no longer in your new relationship.

It is very difficult to predict what will happen in 10 years. But perhaps, after the ardor of falling in love passes, you will realize that you have come to the same thing that you were running from.

Of course, I'm not saying that this will be the case for everyone. For many relationships best solution there will be a divorce. But, nevertheless, I am sure that a lot of divorces happen impulsively and thoughtlessly. And it is better to weigh everything carefully and distance yourself from the delusion of euphoria in anticipation of change.

The second way to get rid of emotions - Breathe

Before doing any important choice Give yourself a little time out. Make 10 calm complete and slow breaths and exhalations of equal length. For example, 6 slow counts of inhalation - 6 slow counts of exhalation. And so 10 cycles.

This will calm you well and cool the ardor. Well, do you still want to order this expensive trinket you don’t need, just because you saw the same one from a colleague?

This method can be combined with the previous one. Breathe first and then apply 10/10/10.

The third way to get rid of emotions - "Ideal me"

I came up with this method when I could not make one decision. And he helped me a lot (I wrote about him in more detail in the article ""). Think about what your "ideal self" would do or be. ideal scenario development of events under existing restrictions. For example, you are thinking whether to go out drinking today or stay at home with your wife and children. Many factors in the decision will compete with each other: a sense of duty and a momentary desire to drink, caring for children and health with the need to have fun.

What to do? Think what would be ideal option. Just stay realistic. I understand that ideally, you would like to split in two, so that one part of you stays at home and the other part is at the party, while alcohol would not bring her any harm and hangover the next day. But that doesn't happen. Given the restrictions, the ideal option would be to stay at home, because last week you promised yourself to drink less. You realize that your wife rarely sees you and if you don't go to the party you will feel better the next day.

No need to think about what you want more. Because, Just because you want something doesn't mean you need it. Desires are fickle and fleeting. Now you want one. But tomorrow you may regret indulging your instant desire. Consider which option would be correct. What would an ideal husband do?

The fourth way to get rid of emotions - What would you advise a friend?

Imagine that you want to change your job to a more comfortable and highly paid one, but you are afraid of change, you are afraid of being disappointed, you don’t want to let your colleagues down, you are worried about what your boss will think of you in connection with your departure. Because of this, you can't make up your mind about it.

But what if this choice is not in front of you, but in front of your friend. What would you advise him? Surely, if he shared with you fears at the expense of disappointments and the opinion of the boss, you would answer him: “Come on, you think about all sorts of nonsense! Do what's best for you."

Surely many of you have noticed that you can give good and reasonable advice to your friends in solving some situations, but at the same time, you yourself behave unreasonably in similar situations. Why? Because when we think about another person's decision, we only look at the essentials. But when it comes to ourselves, a bunch of little things immediately pop up, to which we attach exaggerated importance. Therefore, to get rid of the influence of these unimportant things on your decision, think about what advice you would give to your friend if he was in a similar situation.

The fifth way to get rid of emotions - just wait

Remember, a quick decision is very often a bad decision, because it can be made under the influence of emotions. You don't have to listen to impulsive desires every time. In some cases, it makes sense to just wait and not make a spontaneous choice. Impulsive desires, on the one hand, are quite intense and can be difficult to cope with. On the other hand, they are fleeting and you just have to wait a while, and this desire will disappear. You will realize that what seemed to be an essential need a couple of hours ago, in fact, you do not need.

Personally, I like to let some decision “ripen” in my head, give it time, provided that I have nowhere to rush. It doesn't mean that I think about him all the time. I can do some business, and suddenly the decision will appear by itself. It even happens that I make a decision instantly, but I am in no hurry to implement it if it concerns important and long-term things.

In a few days, details may “surface” in my head that can change my choice. Or vice versa, I will understand that the first thought was right thought, only now, I will be sure of it.

The sixth way to get rid of emotions - stay focused

This method is suitable in situations where you need to take quick fixes while under psychological pressure for example in an interview.

As a poker lover, I know how important it is to stay focused so as not to give in to instant emotions. Poker is basically a game of decision making. I have noticed that when my mind wanders somewhere far away from the game between hands, I make foolish and emotional actions when it's my turn to bet. But if I am focused on the game, even when I am not in the hand, for example, just watching the opponents, this allows my mind to be alert, constantly monitor everything around me and myself, think only about the game and not let unnecessary thoughts and emotions into brain.

So, for example, during an interview, keep your attention on this process. Listen to everything they tell you. Do not let extraneous thoughts enter your head, such as: “what did they think of me?”, “Did I say too much?” Think about it later. But for now, be here and now. This will help you make the right choice.

Method 10 - When Not to Use All of These Methods

Looking at all these methods, it seems that decision making is very difficult process. In fact, these methods are designed to help you make choices, in which each alternative is determined by a set of advantages and disadvantages. But what if there are no flaws? What if you have nothing to lose if you choose one option?

Then forget about all these tips, act and see what happens.

For example, you saw a pretty girl on the street, you are alone and are just looking for a mate. Stop going over the pros and cons in your head. You have nothing to lose if you come up and get to know each other. This is an absolutely simple solution.

Such situations are an exception. The more you think about them and weigh the decisions, the more uncertainty and the chances of missing an opportunity grow. Therefore, where the choice does not cost you anything, think less and act!

Conclusion - A little about intuition

The methods I've been talking about are attempts to formalize decision making. Give clarity and clarity to this process. But I do not want to belittle the role of intuition.

These methods should not confuse you, instilling in you an illusory confidence that any decisions are amenable to reason and dry analysis. This is not true. Often the choice is characterized by the absence complete information and you have to come to terms with the fact that in many situations you cannot know with 100% certainty in advance which solution will be better. Sometimes you just need to choose something, and then it will be clear whether you made the right choice or not.

Therefore, you need to use intuition, instead of waiting until your methods give you an unambiguous prediction of the correctness of one or another alternative. But at the same time, one should not overestimate her role and rely too much on her “gut”. For this, there is a formalized approach, which is designed to balance your mind and feelings, logic and intuition. The right balance between these things is the art of decision making!

Every day we have to make dozens of decisions - to do this or that, to agree or refuse.

And almost every time this is accompanied by doubts, worries and postponing the decision.

So how make the right decision and learn how to make the right choice?

Here are 10 ways.

1 - Just make the decision that you like.

According to statistics, 7 decisions out of 10 leaders of large companies turn out to be erroneous. 40% of companies that were in the top 500 20 years ago the best companies the world no longer exists.

Even the most successful and experienced people wrong very often.

So relax, make a decision and start acting.

You need to understand that while you are thinking, you are standing still and wasting time.

You are not a sapper for whom any mistake is fatal.

Even if you make a mistake, you have a second, third, and any number of attempts. Plus, every time you do something, you gain knowledge, experience and better understand how to make the right choice.

2 - Determine the price of your solution.

What happens if you do this or that and the choice is wrong? Write down possible outcomes and make a decision based on that. But you should know that a decision with minimal consequences often produces weak results.

And therefore...

3 - Define best result - What decision will move you the most forward? In life, those who strive for more win. And those who are afraid to take risks are content ordinary life. Think it might be worth the risk sometimes. Yes, you can lose more. But you can get more. And even if you fail, you can always go back to another solution. So hold on. Success loves the brave.

4 - Ask your subconscious - most people try to make a decision based on logic. But its capabilities are limited by the amount of information that is in the mind.

Use your subconscious. In the evening, think about your problem and possible solutions. And before going to bed, ask yourself - Which solution to choose?

And in the morning you will wake up with a clear understanding of what needs to be done.

All our experiences are stored in our subconscious. And we get access to it only in a dream. Plus, the subconscious can connect to a single information field of the universe. Remember, Mendeleev opened his table in a dream.

So ask your subconscious mind and go to sleep. Learn more about this technique in this video.

5 - Do something- to accept the right decision you need to have certain information. But where can I get it? Books, videos, articles are just theory. It will give you the information you need practical experience, which can only be obtained by doing something.

When in doubt or choosing from multiple options, just do something about each option. And you will immediately understand which solution is best for you.

6 - Ask a more successful person - Such a person can help you in just 5 minutes. He knows and knows more than you. look for successful people in your surroundings. Sign up for training. Ask your question on a thematic forum or group. The only thing is you don't have to ask everyone. Listen only to those who really solved problems similar to yours and have a real life experience overcoming them. But if there is no such person, then

7 - Imagine being a super hero- Put yourself in the place of a person who is a symbol of confidence and success for you. And think about what decision he would choose.

Oftentimes, making a decision gets in the way. internal fears and doubt. When you imagine yourself as a super hero, all this disappears and making a decision becomes much easier.

8 - Expand the number of options - Often people choose from 2-3 options. But there are many more solutions. Collect information, ask friends, think about other solutions. Such work will allow you to better understand the situation, expand your consciousness and will allow you to choose the most informed decision.

9 - Let your brain sort things out - modern man decides a lot on the run, on emotions, in the mode of lack of time.

But if you take a day of rest, calm down, stop thinking a lot, then a lot becomes clear and the decision is chosen by itself.

There is good expression The morning is wiser than the evening. So just switch off from the problem, do something pleasant and make a decision with a fresh mind.

10 - Write down the pros and cons and compare

Choose 2-3 options and write each one on a separate sheet. And make a list of pros and cons. This clarifies a lot and it immediately becomes clear to you which solution is more profitable for you.

That's all.

But remember, a decision is not a decision until you act on it.

And to make it easier for you to act, here are 50 step-by-step instructions

Throughout his life, each person often has to take important decision. He also faces the need to choose throughout the day: what to wear, what soap to use, what products to buy home, what series to watch, and so on. And sometimes even so small domestic issues can put a person in front of a choice, the result of which may depend on the mood or even fate.

Big and small problems

If you understand it this way, then our whole life is a chain consisting of links of choices. Well, if these are minor problems: how to cook rice porridge, what color tie goes best with a shirt ... Such trifles usually do not leave a trace in the memory. Another thing is when the choice is decided future life person. For example, what profession to choose, whether it is worth connecting fate with a person you like or investing in a business. In these cases, the issue price is determined by other measures. If, having cooked porridge incorrectly, a person runs the risk of being left without lunch, then here the retribution for a wrong decision can be the loss of money or even several years of life.

For this reason, making the right decision of this kind is often accompanied by stress. And than longer man thinks, the more this condition is aggravated, which, ultimately, affects his well-being and his ability to resolve the situation.

Why is it important to make a quick decision?

Every person wants something more in this life: build a house, earn money, buy expensive furniture, have a beautiful appearance, raise smart children. At first glance, everything is simple - take it and do it. But there is a small nuance: the possibilities have become so extensive that a person is lost in front of a choice. Some turn off the right way, while others continue to go to the designated goal. Therefore, before making the right decision, it is necessary to analyze and weigh everything well. Today our world is arranged in such a way that not "big eats small", but "agile eats slow". Speed ​​is everything. A small, but actively developing firm can suddenly absorb a clumsy giant.

In order to open your own production and start doing what you love, a person needs not only funds and desire, but also a decision to change his life once and for all. And this is not easy, because there are always doubts. How to take this step, how to decide to burn all the bridges behind and plunge into the world of new opportunities? In fact, there are many ways that help overcome doubts and make the right decision.

Time to choose

If you have time to think about each question, then you should consider each answer option, since you don’t know in advance which solution is correct. The more versions, the more chances to find best option. You can even write it down on paper. different situations and their possible solution. Naturally, this will take time, but there will be an opportunity to analyze and think everything over.

Essentially, the choice is unique property the man that nature gave him. With it, he can control the reality in which he lives, so as not to become a hostage to unforeseen situations. If a person does not have time to make a choice himself, others will do it for him - parents, social environment, boss, friends. Choice is everything! Therefore, if a person is afraid to make a choice himself, he cannot control his destiny, which means that he will not achieve his goal. If he does not believe in himself, in his success, he will not have the courage to choose. What helps to make the right decision and how to take an important step?

Fear of failure

When making a decision, a person is afraid of the disapproval of others, failures, losing what he has, responsibility, poverty. Sometimes these fears are justified, but they make it possible to understand one truth: no matter what decision is made - right or wrong - loss cannot be avoided, this is the moment that becomes the cause of torment. Therefore, before you quickly make the right decision, you need to kill the fear in yourself. Because of it, the need to choose is perceived as a burden - an attempt by all means to avoid it or delay it for some more time.

In addition, a lot depends on the person: under the same circumstances, someone makes a decision, and someone tries to transfer responsibility to another. Because everyone sees the world differently. Two people, having lived the same situation together, will tell about it in different ways.

The world through the prism of beliefs

We see our world through the lens of our beliefs and knowledge. They, like filters, are able to pass only the information that is needed. Based on it, important findings. Before making the right decision, one should not give up, one should not give up, otherwise the person will not see a way out of the situation. “I can't do anything. I small man. I have nothing but work. I will always have to live in poverty,” such beliefs prevent me from being free, decisive, purposeful, persistent, believing in myself, depriving me of a choice. Because of these blockages important information does not reach our consciousness, we simply reject it.

Is there a choice?

Of course, situations are different, but, regardless of the circumstances, the decision is made by the person himself. But how it will be, conscious or not, is the question. A conscious decision is a clear vision of the future result. The unconscious is expressed in automatic action under the influence of an impulsive, passionate desire: “It happened like that”, “I couldn’t restrain myself”. In other words, a person himself does not understand how he did this or that action, and as a result he cannot realize the consequences.

In reality, we cannot know everything, and sometimes we are not able to perform competent actions in all respects, however, we need to strive for the best, knowing not only ourselves, but also the world. A clear and precise understanding of how to find the right solution to a problem is the basis of an effective choice.

Right Criteria

The main question today, which many people ask themselves: "How to get out of this or that situation?" Experts are sure that there is always a way out if we set the right criteria, which we determine for ourselves.

For example, if a woman wants to create harmonious relationships and sets herself the task of meeting an athletic, swarthy, wealthy and smart man, then this will not be enough. Since such a desire determines only external forms goals. It is necessary to fill the task with content. After all, you can meet many men according to established criteria, but how to understand if there is “the one” among them? This is where you can get confused and make a mistake.

The main criteria for the right choice

For right choice the task should be filled with many sub-items: what kind of relationship do you want, what kind of chosen one should be in character. And this goal must be carried in your heart and understand that it is you who are worthy of it. By no means can there be any doubt. You need to believe that on your way you will definitely meet worthy person. It is important to look at personal traits: will it be comfortable with this man, do you feel joy and peace, do you trust him? Only by answering these questions can you make an informed choice.

Trapped

Before choosing the right decision, you need to understand that the situation can change in any direction, so our future life depends only on our choice. global change require informed decisions to be prepared for. And it depends on the desire to manage your life and the ability to be responsible for your actions. The most big mistake people is a rush of emotions that leads to rash actions. Any stalemate requires thought, which takes time. Haste leads to negative consequences, and the person drives himself into a trap. No need to rush, otherwise you will have to start all over again. But as they say, you learn from your mistakes. And that's the kind of experience that wisdom brings.

Choice without lot

How to make the right decision, spending a minimum of time and without risk to health? As a rule, when making a choice, a person weighs all the pros and cons. Psychologists even recommend writing arguments in the form of a table. But what if the result is a proportion of 50x50? How to find the right solution to the problem without resorting to the services of lots? Here are some standard tips to help deal with this problem:

When making a choice, you should look a few steps ahead: what results this or that result will lead to. The only right decision should come consciously, after carefully weighing all the possible consequences.

Desperate situations

Surely each of us faced unforeseen situations that required an immediate decision: someone managed to accept them, and someone did not. As practice shows, some unforeseen situations do not forgive doubts and oversights, so every person should know how to quickly make the right decision in order to protect themselves and loved ones from unpleasant situations. Main mistake many people - unconscious actions in an emergency or an attempt to leave because of fear of responsibility. Therefore, it is better to be prepared in advance so that later you do not pay the price for ignorance and ignorance.

How to make the right decision

There are circumstances when a problem needs to be solved right here and now, but a person cannot do anything because he does not know how to do the right thing. In such situations, before making the right decision, it is necessary to remain calm. After all, it depends on how the problem is solved. Collect your thoughts, look into the subconscious, ask your intuition to suggest a way out of this situation. And what solution comes to mind first, this is the answer to your request. Even if you have never developed your subconscious mind, it is worth using your intuition. It is important not to make decisions under criticism and pressure, because being in an unbalanced state, you can make rash choices.

So what helps you make the right decision? These are life experience, lack of fear, intuition, subconsciousness, situation analysis and logical thinking.

To some extent, we influence our own destiny. And, of course, they are interested in making the choice optimal. That's why it's important to use different tools which will help predict the positive and negative consequences of making a decision.

Why do people make bad decisions?

It's not such a simple question when you think about it. You can, of course, get rid of the banal: "People are stupid." But even smart, talented, experienced people accept bad decisions. That's why:

• Lack of time
• Hope for the only source of information
• emotional experiences
• Lots of thoughts about the problem
• Failure to notice alternatives and new opportunities
• Lack of knowledge and clarity
• Underestimating the amount of time it takes to make the right decision
• Reassessment of one's own skills, knowledge, skills and resources
• Fear of making the wrong decision

All these barriers prevent you from making the right decision. And if they work in tandem, trio or quartet, then the situation becomes even worse. How to overcome them?

Practice 360 ​​Degree Thinking

Thoughts affect emotions, emotions affect decisions, and decisions affect actions. And every link in this chain can be optimally tuned.

360 degree thinking consists of three critical components, which are methods at the same time. They can be used to effectively analyze the situation, after which it becomes easier to make the right decision.

These are the components:

• A look into the past.
• Foresight.
• Insight.

By applying all three of these thinking methods, you view your life from a 360-degree perspective. That is, they work best together.

A look into the past

A look into the past (aka retrospective analysis) will help you critically evaluate your past. This allows you to comprehensively understand a situation that has already happened in order to improve your future decisions.

It's useful because it helps you learn from mistakes, problems, failures, and past successes. As a result of this learning experience, you can adjust your course of action to move forward much faster.

If you do not know or have never done self-reflection, then this is very suitable occasion. Take time to reflect on the decisions you made yesterday. Ask yourself:

• What did I do yesterday?
• What decisions did I make?
• What problems did you encounter?
• How did I deal with these issues?
• How did I deal with the problems that arose when I ran into a problem?
• How do I feel about this?
• From what other point of view can I look at my yesterday's problems?
• What can I learn from yesterday's experience?
• What could I have done differently?
• What do I need to improve to deal with this problem more effectively next time?

Note this is not a simple scroll negative thoughts(what you usually do), namely self-reflection. you ask yourself the right questions, give answers and find out what can be done better next time. Now you are more aware of what decisions you make and in what state.

From now on, you will begin to relate to your problems and decision-making more consciously, and not on autopilot. Next time there is a great chance to do everything right. In other words, you did correct conclusions from past experience - this is what all successful people do.

It should be remembered that you should not use the past in order to make decisions in the future. Each situation is unique in its own way. What works today may not work tomorrow. But the process of self-reflection itself is very useful, because it makes you think about your thinking, actions and decisions.

foresight

Foresight is the ability to predict future events, changes, trends and consequences of one's actions. Moreover, it is the ability to explore alternative scenarios that could potentially unfold.

This mindset is useful because it helps you see and predict what might be ahead. Therefore, you will be better able to identify opportunities and much less likely to make mistakes when making decisions.

Foresight works great in tandem with looking to the past. This way you can use the past as a barometer to predict the future and therefore make better decisions.

To develop foresight, you need to learn how to successfully deal with potential threats and identify your needs in advance. It's planning as well as collection necessary resources that will help in the future.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How will this decision affect the future?
• How will this decision affect my future decisions?
• What are the consequences of making this decision?
• What options will I have after making this decision?
• What problems will arise?
• What if everything goes wrong? How will I react?
• What is my plan B and C?
• What happens if...?

Foresight is not exact science. This is rather a game in which you try to combine lessons learned from the past with ideas from the present to make the best decision.

Given these two factors, you can generate possible scenarios the future to help you make better decisions.

Insight

Insight is the ability to discern true character situations. This is the ability to understand one's situation, as well as cause and effect relationships. In other words, we are talking about gaining an accurate understanding of the people, events, and circumstances of your life.

Insight is often the catalyst for creativity, innovation, and inspiration. This is what brings out the “Eureka!” moments when all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly come together into something understandable. It's like you've stepped out of a fog and now you're finally seeing things in a whole new way that opens up a world of new possibilities.

However, it is worth saying that the ideas that come to your mind are nothing more than an interpretation of reality based on past experience, as well as perceptions and expectations for the future. In short, real insight only comes when you have mastered the other two ways of thinking.

The best entrepreneurs and politicians in the world have this skill. To master it, you need to read a lot, understand people and be curious. But even this is not enough. You need to learn to understand the patterns of your thinking, get rid of cognitive distortions, be in conscious state and see the essence of things. In a sense, it is about intuition.

Start by becoming more observant of what is going on around and within you. Notice the world around you and ask deep questions about yourself, others, and the circumstances in which you find yourself. For example:

• Why do I do what I do? What does it matter to me?
• What do others need? Why is it important to them?
• What's happening? Why is this happening? What does it mean?
• What is the problem? How did it become a problem? Why is it still a problem?
• Why are the circumstances the way they are and not others?
• How did it happen and why does it matter?
• What is the value of knowing this? How does this knowledge change my point of view?
• What is another way to look at this situation? Why is it important?
• Why did this happen? What led to this? What happened before? Is there a connection?
• How are these two events related? Why are they connected in this way?
• How was it done? Who did this? Could it be otherwise?

If you start asking these and similar questions you will become very attentive and observant. Tyrion Lannister, if you will, who often asked himself what others needed and carefully analyzed the events of his life and the world around him.

You will learn to understand why things are the way they are and that they could potentially be different. In fact, you cease to be a passive observer. As a result, you begin to think critically about yourself, about others, and about the circumstances with which you are dealing. All this stimulates the emergence of deeper thoughts, allowing you to draw conclusions and situations that you have never considered before. It opens up new levels of understanding.

There are situations when the solution lies on the surface, you just need to lend a hand. Others are complex and consist of many factors. To make the right decision, you need to use 360-degree thinking, considering the problem from all sides. It will not work right away, but certain results will be visible after the first application of this technique.

Practice Step by Step Decision Making

Step One: Get Clear Clarity About What You Want

Your first step is to clearly understand your desired outcome and identify the resources needed to achieve that outcome. Ask yourself:

• What is my desired result?
• What specifically would I like to achieve?
• What might be required to achieve this result?
• How should I prioritize my efforts?

Understanding what result you want to achieve is important because it (understanding) helps to direct all efforts towards achieving one goal. Then you can make better decisions.

Step Two: Take Action to Achieve Your Desired Result

When you don't quite understand how to get to your desired destination, it's easy to panic. However, what matters is that you take the first step.

You only need to take one step, which will move you a little closer to the desired result. There is probably still a lot of fog ahead, but it is clear that this action is necessary. For example, if you're looking to buy a car and are completely overwhelmed by the number of options, the first step might be to read specialized car forums. By learning to understand the topic, you can make a more informed decision.

In any complex decision, there are always several actions to start with. At some point you will advance and further actions become more obvious.

Step Three: Track Your Results

You must always be vigilant about what works and what doesn't work. There is no reason to waste precious time on inefficient tools.

However, to start measuring progress, you need to understand what exactly you will measure. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How do I know that I'm moving in the right direction?
• How exactly will I measure my progress?
• How will I know that I have reached my goal?

The more clarity about where you are at, the better the solution.

Step Four: Stay Flexible When Making Decisions

The action plan will always be reworked, because it is impossible to predict all the factors in this absurd world. Therefore, you must be flexible in your decisions and actions at all times. Keep your long-term goals in mind at all times and everywhere to stay on track.

Ask yourself:

• What results do I want to achieve?
• What am I doing now?
• Does my current action bring me closer to results?
• This is the most The best way doing so?
• What should I change to get better results?

Don't freak out if things don't go as planned. This is fine. Find out why you veered off course, be curious, not annoyed. With the curiosity of a scientist, ask yourself questions and look for optimal solutions.

Complete decision making process

The previous paragraph was rather preparatory and theoretical. Here we will talk about the full decision-making process. It will require much more time, which means that it needs to be used if the problem you are facing is really important.

Step One: Get Clarity

Let's first understand the importance of the decision you are about to make. Ask yourself:

• What are the options?
• What is the ideal decision I should make?
• Why is this decision so important?
• How will it help me?
• How important is this decision for my loved ones?
• Can it change my life?
• Do other people understand the importance of this decision?

It is important to clearly understand the importance of the decision you are about to make, because it will help determine how much effort and time you will put in.

Step Two: Gather the Facts and Explore the Options

Sometimes a decision requires a collection a large number information. And, if it is important to you, then you need to allocate enough time for this.

Having collected all necessary information take the time to consider possible ways moving forward. Ask yourself:

• What decision can I make?
• What actions can I take?
• What options are there?
• What will I need?

For one decision, you may need money, help from other people, and a lot of time. For others, it takes a lot of work and patience. What will be best for you?

It's time to look at the pros and cons of each solution. Ask yourself:

• What are the benefits of this course of action?
• What are the disadvantages?
• What are the advantages of one option over the other?

As you ask yourself these questions, think about the sacrifices you will have to make in the first and second cases. They may not be obvious: sometimes you can ruin relationships with others by making a decision that does not affect them.

All this basically boils down to opportunity cost. By taking one course of action, you cannot take another, and for different options may have its own advantages and disadvantages.

Step four: determine the worst case scenario

Remember Murphy's Law: "If something bad can happen, it will happen." Take it into account whenever you make a decision.

Ask yourself, “What is the worst that could happen if I make this decision. How do I deal with the consequences?"

Of course, the worst-case scenario may not always happen. But you need to be ready for it. At least psychologically. After weighing all the pros and cons, finding out what the worst-case scenarios are waiting for you, make a decision. But remember that it must be flexible: if something goes wrong, you can quickly rebuild and update your plan of action.

Step Five: Learn From Your Experience

You have made a decision and now you are either reaping the rewards of your efforts or regretting your mistakes. Either way, it's all an experience to be appreciated. Ask yourself:

• What have I learned from this experience?
• What have I learned from how I make decisions?
• Was this decision in complete harmony with my personality and my values?
• Have I achieved the desired result?
• Did I adjust my actions when I ran into problems?

There are many questions you could ask yourself. So please don't limit yourself to just these. Think of others you could ask, especially after mistakes, defeats, or failures.

We wish you good luck!

The life of each of us is an endless stream of decisions. You constantly have to choose: what to buy, how to spend the evening, which profession to choose, which deal to accept and which to reject, etc.

Fortunately, in most cases, making the right decision is fairly easy. Our subconscious does not have to spend a lot of time choosing one of the options, since it is definitely better. But there are situations when it is not clear which of the chosen options will bring more benefit and less harm.

Remember the legendary movie "The Matrix" when Morpheus offered Neo to choose one of the pills. From the outside it may seem that choosing freedom and life in reality was easier and more correct than forgetting everything and continuing to exist in a fairy tale. In fact, most people choose the other side in their lives.

But we digress a little from the topic. So, there are situations when it is not easy to make the right decision. Each of options has a lot of pluses and even more minuses that we would not like to receive. In addition, each of the options will have a lot of consequences that we could not even imagine.

2 approaches to decision making

There are two ways that can help us make a choice. We have used each of them in our lives, simply, someone chooses one more often, someone uses the second more often.

1. When to enable logic?

Careful consideration of possible options and their consequences is characteristic of making logical decisions. Using this approach, we can weigh the pros and cons, analyze the possible benefits and losses of each of the possible options.

The logical approach is best used in situations where there is a lot of input and most of consequences are easily predictable. As a rule, this approach is better applied in business and in any other business areas of life, in cases where the possible risks are very high.

2. When to use intuition?

Often we find ourselves in a situation where it is almost impossible to imagine further development events. There is no past experience relevant to such situations, and there is no way to extract and analyze information from other sources. And you need to make a decision quickly, because "delay is like death."

In this case, there is nothing left but to listen to your intuition and not make a quick and unambiguous choice. Still, we will not be able to build any accurate forecasts.

The need to make such decisions almost always arises in personal life and in everything related to human feelings and emotions.

Regardless of which approach you tend to take more often, I recommend following these five principles to help you make the right decision:

Principle 1. Never rely on "maybe". Always make your own decision.

Don't wait for things to work out on their own or for someone else to do it for you. Indecision is also a decision, but in this case you are no longer in control of the situation, therefore you are not in control of your life. Often people put off making a decision until there are no alternatives worthy of attention, and this is no longer a decision.

Consciously making a decision, however unpleasant, will prepare you in advance to accept its consequences and, most likely, it will be easier for you to cope with its negative consequences. Or maybe you can even find a way to get rid of some of the problems associated with it.

Principle 2. Make a decision quickly.

Postponing the decision for later, we tend to raise our bet in this game. As a rule, intuition tells us best ways, but intuition only works for a short time, then your whole past experience, fears, doubts and other nonsense that the brain is loaded with. All this only clutters up our consciousness and encourages us to make mistakes.

The sooner you can make your choice, the more time you have to prepare for its negative consequences. There will be time to “lay straw”, as a result, you will be able to get more out of the path you have chosen.

Principle 3. Once you've made your decision, take action immediately and don't stop.

Nothing delays the achievement of goals like procrastination. Once you postpone the implementation of your decisions, it will not be difficult for you to postpone them in the future, and this is fraught with the fact that you will never achieve the goals for which the decision was made. Often, what we thought about and decided to do is forgotten after a few days. The long box has not been canceled yet - it is in it that all our greatest achievements are stored.

Principle 4. Do not change your decision half way to the result.

Achieving any result takes time and effort. It makes no sense to expect that the result will come easily and quickly. And if you constantly change your decisions, then it will all be like Brownian motion(chaotic movement of the molecules of a substance, in which the substance itself does not move anywhere) and no result will definitely come.

Drive it into your head - you can get the result only by reaching the end.

If you have made a decision to become rich, then act to the end. If you decide in a week that it is difficult and it is better to become healthy. Stop saving money and start eating right. After another week, you will stop eating vegetables, because. you want a barbecue, and decide to be beautiful by playing sports. Then you can continue on your own.

Principle 5. The most important. Never regret your decision.

Often people believe that they made the wrong decision. It was necessary to act differently. The trick is that you can never know if you did the right thing, because. check is impossible. Always consider your choice as the only correct one.

For example, you bought a car, and a week later its engine broke down. The first thought - it was necessary to buy another, but, on the other, at the most inopportune moment, the brakes could fail. What would be better?

In fact, it is not difficult to make the right decision, it is much more difficult to take responsibility for its consequences! Follow these rules, they will help you and get outstanding results.

Good luck, Dmitry Zhilin

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