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Improving Decision Making

mr0001

New member
Do any of you suffer from "decision paralysis"? Personally, I tend to overthink things. Or sometimes, my mind is telling me one thing whereas my heart is telling me another and I don't know which one to listen to!

What tips do you have for improving decision making? Do you make decisions based on data, emotions, your gut, or something else? How do you avoid decision paralysis?
 

settinggoals321

New member
I certainly struggle with decision making. It doesn't help that I doubt myself a lot, so sometimes, I cannot tell if I am making the right decision for myself. I tend to overthink things as well. The advice I can give is that it is best to weigh your options as best you can. Try and lay out the pros and cons of each decision and try to determine which one would be the best. Usually, I try to make decisions based on logic. This is my solution for most decision making, but it doesn't always apply to every scenario. If not logic, I try to make decisions based on what my instincts are telling me, but I would prefer logic over it. I try to lay out every detail of a decision and try to come to a conclusion based on the pros and cons of each.
 

mr0001

New member
Great response! Like you, I definitely tend to look at the pros and cons of options before making a decision. So interesting that you prefer logic over instinct.
 

TroySoldier

New member
If the decision does not have long-term consequences on my finances, health, or family, I usually go with my gut instincts, especially if all the choices provided seem to be equal in the number of pros and cons. I always remember I can change course later!
 

Akita

New member
Sometimes. Usually, if I need to make a decision and have no time to analyze the pros and cons of each choice, I'll just go with my gut.
 

tploeger

New member
Do any of you suffer from "decision paralysis"? Personally, I tend to overthink things. Or sometimes, my mind is telling me one thing whereas my heart is telling me another and I don't know which one to listen to!

What tips do you have for improving decision making? Do you make decisions based on data, emotions, your gut, or something else? How do you avoid decision paralysis?
Usually I like to write a pro cons list and really evaluate what is going to be the best decision. However, if you're really in a bind one of the best pieces of advice I've heard is to flip a coin. One decision is heads and one is tails and you aren't flipping it so the universe will decide for you; often you will know which one you want more while the coin is in the air.
 

ben_paul_22

New member
Very much depends on the decision (obviously), but I used to be a big pros/cons person and deliberate on things, although I've forced myself to become more decisive in everyday situations. It sounds simple and I'm sure you're talking about much bigger decisions than like ... where you want to eat for lunch, but I have genuinely found that forcing yourself to make quick decisions on seemingly inconsequential things will help a lot in the long run when it comes to bigger things.
 

TroySoldier

New member
Sometimes. Usually, if I need to make a decision and have no time to analyze the pros and cons of each choice, I'll just go with my gut.
Sometimes going with your gut, regardless of how big the decision happens to be, is the best way to make a decision!
 

Bryan411

New member
Sometimes when faced with difficult decisions it is best to focus on the task at hand instead of second-guessing. This can be used to help combat "decision paralysis." Many people still struggle with indecision, including me. My method is not perfect, but it has helped me succeed in stressful situations.
 

TroySoldier

New member
Yeah, analysis paralysis can be awful, especially if the decision isn't that huge. I think the book Blink is about the entire idea of making quick decisions.
 

EliGray

New member
Do any of you suffer from "decision paralysis"? Personally, I tend to overthink things. Or sometimes, my mind is telling me one thing whereas my heart is telling me another and I don't know which one to listen to!

What tips do you have for improving decision making? Do you make decisions based on data, emotions, your gut, or something else? How do you avoid decision paralysis?

Hey there, I think that decision paralysis is a common problem amongst people in tough spots. Especially things like anxiety can get in the way of making major decisions, and can negatively influence the outcome of the decision. I have a very specific method that I use to help battle decision paralysis, and I hope that you find it useful! What I do is think logically about my heart, instead of with it per say. This lets you think about the whole decision more clearly and can lessen anxiety and other negative emotions. Switching the decision-making process to be as logical as possible makes deciding on tough things a lot easier. Another thing that I do, is think three steps ahead, and two steps behind of where I am now. For instance: lets say I'm trying to decide if I should buy a car. I would ask myself about two steps behind me, what have I done with my last car? I replace the transmission, then the windshield wipers. That tells me more about how my current car will perform for me in the future, which helps my decision. Then, I'd ask when my next three steps are, so that I can map out my plan of action before I jump into it head first. My next three steps might be: Call a dealership near me and have them help me pick out a model for me, then I'd purchase the car, then make set monthly payments in that order. This type of thinking helps clear the scene when making a big choice, and I hope you find this helpful!
 
Definitely prone to analysis paralysis here. Some years ago I overheard a discussion and one guy spits out: when in doubt, do nothing. Then they both laughed but for me it was a good tip.
When I'm indicisive about choices, I always add in doing nothing. I know that by itself it doesn't sound helpful but I consider nothing as the status quo and I try to see how /if I can maintain it without choosing. See, a lot of times you can't make a choice because both alternatives are poor, so consider the nothing choice. Also doing nothing buys time, often one choice reveals itself as the better one. Then some choices have painful implications, maybe maintaining the status quo IS the best choice.
Of course, I always hear in my head the maxim - if you don't make a choice, you are, in fact, choosing. The idea there is that by stalling, your alternatives will by attrition become limited.
 
I'll add that many times we limit the choices artificially so we can limit our analysis or procrastination. The actual choices are far greater if we are open to consider them.
 

JTiara23

New member
I struggle greatly when making decisions, and I tend to overthink as well as overreact. I try really hard when it comes to decision making, but I feel that I doubt myself when making decisions. I am also a big procrastinator, because I will think to do something way before it needs to be done, but then I will push it back thinking I still have the time. This sometimes causes me to run around and exhaust myself trying to handle the things I need to handle, especially the things that I pushed back. I agree with the statement that we limit our choices, I know that sometimes I will dismiss an idea that might have been a good one too soon, only to later discover that I should have made the decision that I cut off.
 

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