Making good decisions isn’t always easy – especially if you struggle with making decisions in general. Here are some starting points to help you become a better decision-maker.
Avoid Overconfidence
While it’s great to be confident, overconfidence can be detrimental to decision-making. An overconfident decision can potentially set you up for failure, causing you to overcommit or be more sure of something than you should be. For instance, if you are overconfident, you may tell your boss you can get a project done in a shorter timeframe than is possible or commit to something you don’t have the skills to accomplish without assistance.
Throw the Stress Away
Feeling stressed out can poorly affect your decision-making abilities by clouding your judgment. So do what you can to alleviate any stress and clear your head before making a big decision. That way, you’ll be making a decision based on logic, not stress.
Weigh Your Options
Making tough decisions is a balancing act. It’s important to weigh your options against one another, comparing and contrasting the consequences, to ensure you’re making the best selection.
Think of the Result
People often make decisions without thinking them through. Sometimes, you’ll have a situation where one outcome is clearly the better choice, but others are not so black and white. For this reason, you should always think about the consequences of your decision rather than running blindly ahead on good faith alone.
Trust Your Gut
Lastly, there is something to be said for relying on your gut instincts. While following the above tips will help, if there’s still a choice in front of you, take a step back and listen to your gut. While you should never blindly make a decision based on your gut reaction alone, listening to your instincts can help guide you in the decision-making process.
What are some ways you have helped yourself make good decisions? Share your tips with us in the comments below!