Making Decisions…

It’s not so easy… or is it?

There’s a lot to making decisions. This article will  cover some of what goes into making a decision, how we make them, how difficult or easy it can be, and more.

We spend an awful lot of time, and a tremendous amount of energy, making choices between equally attractive options in everyday situations, the mundane situations as well as the more complicated ones. The problem is, that while they may be equally attractive, they are also differently attractive, with tradeoffs that require compromise.  We ask one question, which leads to the next and to the next and to next. It can drive a person crazy.

Do we go with our logical brain or do we go with our emotional heart? Do we go with our intution or our reasoning? Here are some things to think about when making decisions.

How do we make decisions?

According to Tony Robbins, “We make our decisions from our metaprograms, which determine how we process the world and what motivates us. Understanding your own metaprograms is an invaluable tool in proper communication. Once you learn the factors that play a part in your decision-making, you can ensure every decision you make takes you one step closer to your goals.” So are are the questions:

1. Are you motivated by desire or fear? If by desire, yoy probably need to be motivated by goals and rewards. If by fear, you probably need to be motivated by something negative including the consequences of not doing something.
2. How do you decide if you’ve done a good job? Either you look to others and rely on testimonials and statistics or you rely on what’s important you.
3. Do you focus on the possibilities of something, or the necessity of it? If by possibility you probably need to be shown what you can do. If by necessity, you probably need to be shown what you have to do.
4. Are you more likely to focus on what’s the same or what’s different? If the same, you will probably be motivated by relating something to a positive experience in your past. If different, you are probably motivated by counterexamples and doing the opposite of what someone wants.
5. Are you focused on the big picture or the details?

What prevents us from making effecive decisions?

1. Not enough information – this can make you feel like you’re making a decision without any basis. I suggest that you take some time to get the  necessary “data”, even if your timeframe is very tight. You can als always prioritize the information you get by what is most important to you.
2. Too much information, the opposite problem – aka “analysis paralaysis”.  But this problem can get resolved. Again, decide what is really important and why and weed out the information that doesn’t fit into these parameters.
3. Too many people – Everyone has their own views and values, and while it may be important to consider these views and whey they are important, it comes down again to what is imporant to you.
4. Emotional attachments
5. Non-emotional attachments

Some Rules to consider when making decisions that might help

1. Use habits as a way to reduce routine decision fatigue – The idea is that if you build a habit , for example: always eat salad for lunch, then you avoid the decision entirely and you can save your decision-making energy for other things. That works for predictable and routine decisions. But what about unpredictable ones?
2. Use if/then thinking to routinize unpredictable choices – For example, if this happens, then I will do this.
3. Use a timer – If the issues have been reasonably vetted, the choices are equally attractive, and there is still no clear answer, then admit that there is no clearly identifiable right way to go and just decide. Make a decision and move forward.
4. Pretend you are advising a friend  – Decisions especially the big ones, can wreak havoc with a person’s emotions. That’s becauseyour short-term emotions get in the way of decisions, and that clouds your judgment. It’s hard to break free of your emotions, but it helps to know they affect your choices.

Making Decisions according to the Sages

1. Be patient and deliberate. Don’t jump to conclusions. Look at the whole picture.
2. Think and delve deeply into the situation, because those who don’t, remain shallow and so their decisions are shallow.
3.  Review what you learn, ponder what you find out, review it all and understand it before making a decision.
4. Take advice from others, even someone who may not be that knowledgable about the issue. This is because every person is biased and subjective when it comes to making decisions.  Deep down he know what he would like his decision to be. Therefore when he examines the various factors that will lead to his decision he sees them in a very distorted and subjective way . He sees all the positive things of the factors he would like to be and all the negative things that are not in keeping with his desires. The desires of a person blind his eyes and distorts him from seeing the truth.  You will get an objective, not a subjective, biased view of the situation.
5. Determine your intention when making the decision. Is your intention pure? Is  your motivation pure?
6. Find out what G-D’s advice is in making your decisions. Go to the sages who think like the Torah thinks, because Torah is like G-D’s mind, and they may be able to lead, advise, and show you the way.

Making Moral Decisions

And finally, is the question about making moral decisions? What does making moral decisions mean? Well, to me it means making responsible decisions. Every conscious moment is another decision.  From the instant we wake up, we begin to decide: What will I eat for breakfast? How will I greet my boss today? Even if we yawn, turn over and go back to sleep – that’s also a decision.

The cumulative impact of all of the decisions we make daily, even though each is individually small, is what determines the overall quality of life. One should not take decisions lightly.

For living, be serious. Ask yourself: What am I going to do today? This week? This year? What am I doing with my life, what are the possibilities, and what can a human being achieve? Be responsible for your decisions, right or wrong and learn from your decisions.

Invaluable quotes on making decisions that will inspire and motivate you!

• “It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress withouthmaking decisions.” Jim Rohn, American Entrepreneur
• “The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” Ben Stein, an American writer, lawyer, actor, and commentator on political and economic issues
• “Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision.” Tony Robbins. Life Coach, Entrepreuneur
• “I think that there is something beautiful about morality. It makes our decisions mean more.” Brandon Boyd, American Singer
• “Waiting hurts. Forgetting hurts. But not knowing which decision to take can sometimes be the most painful…”  Jose N. Harris
• “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” John C. Maxwell,  American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership.
• “The more decisions that you are forced to make alone, themore you are aaware of you freedom to choose.” Thornton Wilder, American playwright and novelist.
• “A person never know when your life is about to change and when one decision will dramatically impact your life and change the course of your destiny.” Dani Johnson
• “YOU decide what your limits are and  your level of success. You are responsible for the time that you spend on this planet.” Les Brown
• “There are no guarantees or crystal balls for the future, and there’s no absolute way to know if you are or aren’t making the right decision. Give tomorrow the best possible chance that you can.” Kenneth Dino, Author
• “Don’t entrust your future on others’ hands. Rather make decisions by yourself with the help of God’s guidance. Hold your beliefs so tight and never let go of them!”  Hark Herald Sarmiento

Other Resources

• 3 Timeless-rules-for-making-tough-decisions
• Jim Rohn – Use Your Own Mind, Think and Make Good Decisions
• More Quotes 
• And More Quotes
• The Art of Decision Making
• Responsible Decisions
• Torah Process How Jews Make Decisions

My last few words on this decision making thing…

What I think works the best and after many trials and tribulation in my life (and I’m sure there will be more, and actually look forward to more) is to try and balance your decision making with empathy, logical reasoning, and what the wise ones recommend.  Your decisions in life, in the end will make who you become. Take them seriously. Don’t take your decisions lightly. They mean something!

And finally, I’d like to share an observation that I think will make every decision in your life much easier. You’re not responsible to make the right decision. You’re responsible to make the best decision you can. You see, G-d runs the world. What HE expects from each of us is to go out there and use our wisdom,  our understanding, ask advice, and reach the best possible conclusion that we can. We are responsible to go out there and try to make the best decision we can. Making the right decision — that’s up to G-d.  We are going to make the best decision we can, because that’s the way G-d wants us to use this world. Once we make that decision we take our heavy load, we put it on G-d and we say  You created the world, You run the world. You’ve asked me to use this world in a certain way. I rely on You and trust in You.

If this helped you and you got value, feel free to share with your teammates, on Facebook, and comment below.  

Click here for more