Do you struggle to make good decisions or often feel unconfident in your choices? Do you drag your feet or jump to a decision without a second thought? Here are three tips to help you make better decisions.
1. Reflect and Manage Your Emotions
Stress or high emotions regarding a decision can muddy the waters as you try to make a decision. Stress can make you feel pressured to make a decision right away, or it can have the opposite effect of causing you to feel paralyzed. Additionally, if you don’t recognize and sort through your emotions during the decision-making process, you’re more likely to make a choice based off your emotions – rather than rational or objective thought. Of course, this doesn’t mean your emotions about the situation don’t matter. Simply, that you want to keep your emotions in check so that they don’t control you.
2. Explore Every Option and Consequence
Are you sure that you’ve considered every possible avenue? If you’re stuck deciding between A and B, you might forget that option C even exists. As you consider your options, and any others you haven’t already considered, take time to visualize the outcome. How do these outcomes often turn out for others? Anecdotes or statistics can give you an idea of this. However, remember that you and your situation are unique. While looking at what happened to others can help give you an idea of what to expect, make sure to consider your unique circumstances as well.
3. Seek Help From Someone You Trust
An outsider’s perspective is invaluable when making a major decision. If you’re stuck inside your own head, find a friend, therapist, or someone else you can trust to talk through the decision with. This person can give advice or show you new options you didn’t consider before. Even more importantly, they are there to listen and help you de-stress. They can help you build confidence and feel comfortable committing to your decision.
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