Making Wise Decisions

Have you ever felt apprehensive about making an important decision which could affect the rest of your life? Does making even minor decisions can send you into a state of anxiety when you begin thinking of all the options and things that could go wrong? Making wise decisions can be tough!

It is common for people to swing back and forth between several choices, whether they are related to career, money, business, opportunities, or even relationships. How do you know which choice is the best one for you in any given situation? Sometimes making wise decisions is easy, but other times several options seem like they could be the best choice. Many of them also seem to have the potential to lead to regret or missed opportunities.

The good news is that making wise decisions is a matter of weighing the potential pros and cons of every available outcome. Below is a simple 3-step process to help you make wise decisions no matter what part of your life they may affect.

1) What Are the Rewards?

When you've got more than one option to choose from, a great first question to ask of each one is, "What do I stand to gain from choosing this option?" If the rewards are big, you might be willing to tolerate some risk in order to benefit from the outcome. Conversely, if the pay-off would be small, you might not feel so confident about taking a chance, particularly if the risks involved are large.

2) What Are the Drawbacks?

Next consider what you stand to lose if the option doesn't work out. While it is good to think positively, a little foresight and thought about the potential downsides could save a lot of heartache! If your losses could be huge with a particular option, you might decide to hold off for awhile to see if the odds improve over time. If there are drawbacks, but the risks are small, the option looks more promising.

3) What's the Worst that Could Happen?

Finally, take it one step further and ask, "What is the worst that could happen if I choose this option, and would I be willing to accept those consequences?" It may seem like a pessimistic question, but it's extremely effective at clarifying the situation! If you couldn't handle the consequences of making such a decision, then you know immediately that it's not the wisest decision for you at this time. However, if you could handle the consequences, whether positive or negative, it’s a viable option for you.

Often all options offer relatively equal rewards and drawbacks and making wise decisions is difficult! It is always important to listen to your instincts. What is that little voice in the back of your head telling you? Often this is much more accurate than any amount of reasoning, yet we try to overpower it with logic. Just listen to it!

When it comes down to it, there is no set way to make a wise decision. You simply weigh the pros and cons, listen to your intuition, and do the best you can. 'Wrong' decisions can often open up a whole new opportunity or situation we hadn't even considered - and turn out to be the best! Remember to learn something from all situations, and also that making any decision is much better than procrastinating. As you make more decisions, your confidence will grow and making wise decisions will become easier and easier