Make Thoughtful Decisions using this Framework
Research has shown that the typical person makes about 2,000 decisions every waking hour. Most decisions are minor and we make them instinctively or automatically but many of the decisions we make in life take real thought and have serious consequences.
All important discoveries in this world came from people who took risks. We are always taking risks no matter what we do. Parenting is a great risk. Driving a car is risky. Choosing a career is risky. Everything is risky so the key to success is understanding the risks associated with your options.
Consistently making good choices is arguably the most important habit you can develop. The choices you make affect every fabric of your life. Decisions determine destiny so the better decisions you make, the better outcomes you get.
To make good decisions, you need to start asking the right questions.
THE BEST/WORST ASSESSMENT
One of the ways to identify and choose acceptable risks is to do what Dr. Ben Carson in his book Take the risk calls a Best/Worst Analysis (B/WA). This helps you analyze the risks thoroughly to make a reasoned decision by asking yourself these four thought-provoking questions:
What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
What is the best thing that can happen if I don't do it?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't do it?
Below is an example of how I analysed the pros and cons of a job offer which involved moving to a bigger city with less than 8% raise (almost negligible). This meant that my expenses would increase so I had to consider my options carefully:
What is the best thing that can happen if I do this? Learn new stuff, new environment, more job prospects, better school for my children, exposure for my wife's business.
What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this? I don't like it there or perform woefully on the job, my finances suffer due to increased expenses and become frustrated.
What is the best thing that can happen if I don't do it? I get promoted at my old job (very unlikely).
What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't do this? I remain frustrated and tired at old job, stuck in a remote location, no new learning and stunted growth.
As you can see, answering those questions directed my thinking and gave me focus. I had a solid grasp on the implications of my options.
I took the job, moved to the city and got a better paying job a year later. BW/A will help you identify the inconspicuous advantage or pitfalls embedded in the plethora of paths available to you.
You should try this assessment when you want to make your next major decision and let me know if this helped you.