Correct decisions a. How to make a decision in a difficult situation

15.10.2019

How to make the right decision

What you need to know before making a decision, what questions to ask and what to guide your decision-making

Most people are afraid, do not know or do not know how (do not understand) how to approach and make a decision.

And if you divide decision making into stages (steps). What steps are important to make the most correct, final decision?

I’ll talk about these steps below, but first, what to pay attention to when making decisions.

It often happens that before making a decision, a person does not really know what he wants or which option is better for him to choose.

And here it is important that you do not just analyze, but put aside logic for a while and pay attention to yourself, to feel whether this is really pleasant for you, whether it will be a pleasure for you to do this for a long time. And we do not focus here only on results, money and benefits. Just listen to your inner voice, sometimes a hint may not come right away, and here it is better not to put pressure on yourself, but to hatch the answer, trust your intuition.

You can also ask yourself a couple of questions: “What does my mind tell me?” and answer out loud quickly, without thinking, and then ask: “What does my intuition (my soul) tell me?”, and look very carefully at your very first thoughts that come to mind, most often they are the most correct. Observe yourself, how they make you feel, and whether there is anything inspiring about them.

I consider this the main advice and in most cases, this is all that is needed to make the right decision.

Do you know what a famous and successful person said about this:

Feel free to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know who you really want to become

Steve Jobs

And it often happens that the situations themselves do not tolerate reasoning from us, we just need to do something and that’s it. For example, if you are single, an opportunity has presented itself and you feel that you sincerely want to get to know each other, then you shouldn’t go into all this “What would happen if...”, listen to your heart and just follow it - take some action in response to all doubts - “come what may.”

5 questions in decision making

Very often we doubt whether I really need this and why. And especially if the decision affects the global and long-term perspective. Here I still recommend listening more to your inner voice, but you can ask yourself 5 guiding questions.

First question- "Do I want this, X Do I want to do this, do I want to have this, do I want to become someone?"We answer ourselves honestly" YES" or " NO".

When you have determined and answered yourself: “YES”, this is exactly what I want to do, move on to the next question, - " If I do this, if I become someone and achieve this, will I be in harmony with myself, with the Universe, or for those who believe, in harmony with God?"

If you answered “YES” to yourself, then ask yourself the following question: "If I do this, if I become someone, then will bring closer is this me to my goal, my dream ?"

If your answer is “YES”, then ask yourself another question: “ If I do this, have this, if I become something, will that violate human rights?

If your answer is "NO", then move on to the last question - " If I achieve my goal, will I make myself and anyone else better?” This question may be the easiest to answer.

And having answered your questions and made up your mind, you need to start taking action. Right now, this second, start taking action to change something in your life. To become successful, independent and finally achieve what you so desire. Don’t put it off until later by telling yourself - “That’s it, yes, I’ve decided, I’ll start acting tomorrow”, or “I’ll think again and then I’ll finally decide whether I need it or not.”- believe me, friends, you are unlikely to decide and start something.

And if you try later, as a rule, it’s only another attempt and no more. Do straightaway even the smallest step is important your first step, the START is important.

For example, the first step is the need to collect useful information, find out what and how. The more detailed you know, the easier it is to make decisions and you will move faster and more confidently.

Just worry and don't move

Don’t delay making final decisions if you have already felt that this is yours, you are thirsty for change and you need it, and don’t worry too much now about how you will be and when, what will come - these are not the right questions now, gradually everything will come itself. Your main goal now is to make a decision.

If you are delaying making a decision, it means you have already made a decision - to leave everything as is.

Remember that Doubts will still remain and you should not get rid of them in any way. It’s normal to experience, because no one can predict success and know exactly how everything will go, you can only, to a greater or lesser extent, believe depending on experience and conditions.

And as soon as you make your final decision and start taking the first steps
, all these “HOWs” - they will come to you. You will find or you will meet necessary people, and the right situations will begin to arise around you. You will begin to attract them to you, this is some kind of amazing phenomenon, but I was convinced myself that it works, like a relationship with the universe.

By the way, think carefully and remember when you started to think about something and do something, no matter what, when suddenly, immediately or after some time, something like this began to happen - the right people met or you found yourself in that place and at that time, or the necessary information came across.

So, The main thing - decide.

Don't rely on decision making from what you have today, think what you want, strive for it and make your decision based on it. The fear of failure is always stronger than the possibility of change, we are much more afraid of losing something than the desire to try to gain something, but if you are guided only by, you will not go far.

And all other questions, such as “Will I be able to do this?”, “Am I doing it right?” “What if it doesn’t work out?” - All these questions are not questions of a person who wants more from life. They should be given attention only for a quick assessment of the reality of what is being done, in order to correct the course and nothing more.

Almost each of you has been in a situation where, having made some decision and started doing something, after a while, maybe quickly, maybe later, you understand - it was necessary differently.

If you do not accept for yourself that there is no and will not be a 100% correct decision, if you are afraid and based on the fear of error, you will never achieve what you dream of. The trick is that You either do it or you don’t and there is no other option.. Except an even worse option is to be in a wait-and-see state all the time just thinking and dreaming about something, waiting 100% given an opportunity in the hope that such an opportunity will come, do nothing, and all the time be in a state of dissatisfaction with yourself and your life.

“Every plan of action has its own price and risk. But they are much less than the price and risk of doing nothing comfortably.”

John F. Kennedy

What prevents you from making better decisions?

We are in different time We are in different states depending on some external or internal factors and as a result, no matter how smart you are, our consciousness perceives the situation differently. And when making some decision you were unable to make right choice That's why that at that time there were not in that condition, may have been depressed, anxious and overworked, and you simply lacked potential.

In another case, when you almost immediately understand what led to the wrong decision, it’s not because you made a conscious wrong decision, it’s not the case that “ consciousness was not enough", but because I failed to restrain myself, to control myself, throwing away my emotions (most often this happens, and this is the saddest thing).

Very often we are blinded by emotions that make us miss important nuances in making this or that choice and which may subsequently prove decisive. Therefore, always before taking important decision, calm down, the best way to do this is to observe your breathing with 5-8 slow, calm inhalations and exhalations, and if you are too excited then postpone the decision for a while, let your brain calm down and clear up.

What to guide your decisions (choice of actions)

Be guided by principles in your decision

When making decisions, always remember and be guided by your main principles and sincere desires. For example, if you want to start a business, then you need to take into account that it will not be an easy walk, but hard work. Are you ready to sacrifice your comfort, personal time and time for your family? And what is this all for?

Maybe you will understand that family, comfort and peace are what you are striving for, and earning big money can take a lot of that away from you. Some people, when they start chasing money, forget about their main values, why they started doing this in the first place.

If you still feel that this matter or something else is necessary for you, then go ahead and be bolder.

Concentrate on the main thing

When you have already decided everything, started to act and determine the direction every day, decide what to do now, always be guided by priority main action, ask yourself, “What’s best right now, on this moment"What can I do to get closer to my goal?"

And having decided on specific actions - you try to do it without delay.. Just don't drag it out too long.

How to make a decision. Motivation

And for your support and motivation, I highly recommend keeping a diary, it’s really important.

How do we make a diary? In a new notebook we write, first the questions, then we answer - " Why do I need this??", "What will this give me?", " How confident will I become?", "How will I feel about this??", "How will I live with this??", "What opportunities will this give me?"Describe everything vividly, in colorful images, imagining it as if you have already achieved success and are now experiencing these sensations.

And every day you should start by reading your diary, with this strongest motivation. You perform actions in a different mood, and with each subsequent day this mood will become better.

In 95% of cases you will not believe what you write. Why is that? Because it’s all about the (attitudes) that are embedded inside us, in our subconscious. And if we don't change these attitudes, we are doomed to failure. In order to reprogram, change these programs, you will write this diary. When you put your thoughts on paper, your brain perceives everything differently than when it happens in your head.

But the best thing is if you also find a like-minded person who will share your vision and your goals. And sharing your thoughts with him, or even reading them out loud. Everything will begin to boil inside you, you will seem to be divided in two. One part will say-" You can not ", another" You will succeed "And most importantly, with such repetition and discipline you program your subconscious, change your unsuccessful attitudes.

There are other ways of programming, but that's in other articles. Why others? It’s simple - some of us perceive everything visually, others perceive audio information, or we need both together. All this can be easily felt if you just listen to yourself. In the meantime, I recommend learning a little more about with it, it can dramatically change your life in general.

And one moment, every person along the way has days when everything falls out of hand, there is no mood, the state of health, to put it mildly, is not working and you need to continue doing something, but things are not going well at all. Write down your most cherished goal on a card that you will always carry with you. And when you need to act, but you’re not in the mood, take out your card and ask yourself, “Why and why do you need all this?” And answer this question honestly. Your answer will motivate you to action and only actions will lead you to your goal.

Finally, how to make a decision:

And always remember, each of us, this unique person, with its weaknesses, but also its strengths. And each of us has the right to be who we want!

Good luck in making the right decisions and energy for action! !

Sincerely, Andrey Russkikh

Be sure to check it out! How to make your dream come true

How often do we think: “If only we knew where to fall...”. How sometimes we regret unused opportunities or wrong actions. Everyone would like to know and understand how to make the right decision that would lead along the right path to the intended goal. However, we sometimes forget about the most important things. About what is ours

personality is in constant development. Solving new problems, facing unusual and unusual circumstances, we change. This means that goals, values, and priorities also do not stand still. They change with us. That is why the question of how to make the right decision is better posed for the “here and now”, and not looking ahead, and even more so

The author had the opportunity to talk with many people who sometimes found themselves at difficult crossroads in life. And this is what is typical for those who gave the impression of a self-confident, accomplished person - they did not regret the past! Not even if I had to change my way of life, country, or field of activity many times. They didn’t revel in self-pity if they had to lose all their property and start all over again. Therefore, in order to understand how to make the right decision, you need to clearly understand: a lot depends on us, but not everything. What seems right at a certain moment may turn out to be a mistake. That's why more

Most of all, inflexible people who suffer from failures find it difficult to adapt and act according to circumstances. But our path is not always smooth and spacious. Therefore, the first piece of advice is to relieve yourself of the burden of excessive responsibility. A person is designed in such a way that in any situation he can find both joy and disappointment. Even if you have achieved your "goal", it may always seem that "the palace is too small and the molasses is too sweet."

So, which one you won't regret? First of all, try to trust fate and intuition. Very often we hesitate and doubt if there is some difference, for example, between reason and feelings, between desires and duty. But this situation is also an incentive for development. And intuition, which we often underestimate or drown out, is what helps us make the right decision. You should not think that this is something supernatural, a “voice from above.” It’s more likely that your subconscious processes the situation in its own way. Our elementary, physiological reactions often tell us where we will feel good and where we won’t feel so good. For example, if you are looking for new job, listen to your intuition. If a conversation with your future boss puts you in a positive mood, this is a good start. But if the building itself, the atmosphere reigning there, appearance and the way the staff communicate is stressful and depressing, if you don't feel comfortable in a given place - perhaps this is a warning.

How to make the right decision in your personal life? The advice is the same. Don't try to reason, plan, think in lofty categories. Just feel the situation, immerse yourself in your feelings. The first minutes often decide how communication with this or that person will turn out. And if we are comfortable, we feel safe, this means this relationship has a future. And vice versa, if we find it difficult to find common topics, if we are constrained, but, for example, the thought has stuck in our minds that this is an excellent game, try to trust our intuition. We live with the person, and not with his status, money or position in society.

Another technique will tell you how to learn to make the right decisions. This method can be called “look into the future.” The point is to try to imagine the possible development of events in as much detail as possible,

which will follow your choice. Are you offered a job, but you don't know whether to take it? Imagine yourself in this place in as much detail and color as possible in a year, two, five. What does your typical working day look like, how do you dress, how do you relax? Do you enjoy entering the office or do you try to come up with excuses to avoid appearing there as little as possible? By imagining this, you subconsciously prepare yourself to make a decision.

And perhaps the most famous and effective method- “sleep” with the problem. By asking yourself a question in the evening before going to bed, in the morning you will receive a ready-made answer. The subconscious or intuition will do all the work for you. Sometimes a conversation with a disinterested stranger helps. By speaking out loud all your arguments and doubts, you thereby come to a decision. Good luck to you!

Our life is a constant series of decisions. They can be both minor and quite serious, which have a great impact on us and lead to serious changes. A person constantly decides what to buy for lunch, where to go in the evening, what book to read, what university to go to study, what profession to choose, how to make a million and so on. And if the cost of the issue is small, then the decision is given to us easily and made quickly, because the loss in case of an error will be small. But the more serious the choice is, the more difficult it is to make. IN in this case the right decision can lead to great success or, on the contrary, it can cause losses and failures. Therefore, it is very important to know how to make the right decision.

Be sure to set yourself a time frame to make the right choice. The presence of a constraint forces you to choose the most effective solution in a given situation. This process is described by the so-called law of forced efficiency.

To make the right choice, you need to collect maximum amount information. The more facts you have at your fingertips, the easier it will be for you to make effective choices. This way you can more or less objectively assess the situation.

Remember that emotions are your enemy in decision making, because during a surge of feelings you cannot think objectively and detachedly. Try to wait for the moment when everything boils over in your soul, and only then get down to business, because in the heat of the moment you can make far from the best decision.

Remember that if the search for the right course of action is related to work, then you can shift this issue to someone else. This way you will save yourself a lot of time. In addition, if you complete a task once, you can expect to have to do it repeatedly. Additional workload without corresponding dividends is absolutely useless. Therefore, think as rationally as possible, because delegation of authority– a very convenient tool for “unloading” your work schedule.

As you make your decision, be sure to prioritize your considerations. Structuring thoughts according to the principle of importance is an excellent skill that will allow you to quickly find an effective way out of any situation. If this skill is not developed, when analyzing complex tasks you will constantly be confused in your own reasoning. In addition, there is a risk that you will use the wrong criterion as a basis for making a decision, which will lead to unclear consequences. With a high degree of probability, your choice will be ineffective, and often a dead end. By making mistakes, you can, of course, develop your decision-making skills over time. But by breaking the so-called “review” of the choice, you will not be able to determine the cause-and-effect relationships that explain why the decision was correct or vice versa. Therefore, before difficult choice It is advisable to structure all your thoughts and create a “priority rating” various factors in your head.

Fear of possible failure also prevents you from finding the right solution. Many fail because of this ineffective feeling. In order for fear not to interfere with you, you need to analyze in detail the consequences that this or that choice can lead to, and then act.

It is best to remain calm when making a decision. If you are a rather suspicious person, you can relax by listening to your favorite music, resting, or, in extreme cases, drinking a sedative.

Objectivity is another factor that will ensure making the right decision. You need to remain honest with yourself and not artificially embellish the facts that contribute to the wrong choice.

Prioritization is one of the most important components when evaluating different options for action. Think about what is most important to you: money, career, family, etc.

In addition, costs must be assessed, since this factor can have a serious impact on the effectiveness of a particular solution.

Most of us very often regret what we have done, believing that we made the wrong choice. In fact, if you think soberly, you can come to the conclusion that there are no right and wrong decisions. If you are committed to achieving goals, and this goal is a priority and important, all actions towards it will be absolutely correct. Choosing the right solution is quite subjective, so be guided by your desires.

Situations often arise that the choice can be postponed until some details are clarified in cases where the delay will not cause any harm. However, you can fall into a trap when new facts increasingly complicate the decision-making process, and unexpected information arises that requires clarification. This paradoxical effect manifests itself in the fact that the more effort and persistence you put into achieving a result, the worse things turn out for you. Or in other words, the longer you take to solve a problem, the more unclear facts about it come to light.

In any case, time limits the ability to analyze various options. Refusing to choose is also a definite solution, although it can often be the most ineffective. For example, if you cannot choose between two professions that are right for you, you risk ending up unemployed or becoming an unskilled laborer. In such a situation, any option will be more profitable for you than refusing to choose. And if you still can’t decide, then it would be better to make a decision at random rather than abandon it.

There are times when a hasty decision leads to disaster. In such situations, it is best to wait some time to evaluate the problem. However, you need to remember that you also cannot delay the moment of making a decision for long (this is especially true for work), since you may either get ahead of you, or the situation may escalate. And then you will regret not making a choice earlier. Only people in high positions can allow themselves to think through various options in detail, because they know that no one else can make a decision except them.

It is not necessary to solve a serious problem solely on your own. You can always consult with your friends or family. A task voiced several times will clarify the situation as a whole, and it will be much easier for you to find a simple and ingenious way out of the current situation. In addition, your interlocutors can give really good advice. The only point is that you shouldn’t tell everyone about your problems, because this way you won’t get anywhere, but will only waste a lot of time on useless complaints. Besides, everyone is ready to give advice, and too much advice can easily confuse you.

If you are used to relying on the opinions of loved ones, then in situations that require prompt action, you can imagine in your head what your friend would advise you. This kind of internal dialogue can be incredibly helpful in many cases.

When making decisions, ignore emotions that are aimed at achieving quick results. Such false zeal can play a cruel joke on you. In order to avoid possible negative consequences, you should use Susie Welch's “10-10-10” method, which consists of guessing where your decision will lead in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years.

Always look for alternative opportunities. You should not completely give preference to just one idea, blindly believing in its correctness. Come up with at least a few more options to compare with your first. Imagine that the original idea simply does not exist, and think about what you will do in such a situation. You will definitely find several more alternatives.

If you still can’t decide 100%, go to bed, and a great solution may come to you overnight. This is explained by the fact that our subconscious knows all possible ways out of the current situation. During sleep, a continuous process of analysis will take place, and in the morning your subconscious mind can give you the best option. Before you go to bed, ask yourself the question again, then put a pen and a piece of paper near you. This is necessary in order to quickly capture a thought if necessary.

Don't ignore your intuition methods for developing intuition), because our inner voice makes mistakes much less often than our mind. Therefore, before making a decision, try to listen to your feelings. If you experience any discomfort, then you should reconsider other options.

Now you know what helps you make the right decision. Let's look at how to stick to your chosen option.

How to follow a decision

Once you have made a decision, start acting immediately without delay, since any kind of delay will only reduce your chances of success. achieving success. In addition, you are sowing the seed of a bad habit of constantly postponing things until later, which risks never achieving the intended result.

Remember that changing your decision after you have already passed halfway to the goal is at least ineffective. Be true to your original views. This way you will build confidence that you are doing everything right, and success will not be long in coming. However, be careful. If you realize that your path clearly leads to failure, it is better to abandon it as early as possible. Remember that even successful entrepreneurs change course very often. Find a balance between flexibility and persistence. In this case, you will move towards your goal persistently, and you will be able to quickly change your plan of action without much loss for yourself.

Finally, it should be noted that in order to learn to make the right decisions, personal experience should be used. At the same time, be guided by the above tips, because your decisions cannot be correct in 100% of cases. Constant change surrounding reality forces you to change too. So be flexible in the process of choosing the right solution. Remember that your methods may fail, no matter how perfect they seem to you. Experiment more and take tactical steps that are unusual for you, because the comfort zone in which you are used to being leads to degradation. Personal experience– one of the most faithful advisers.

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There comes a time in every person's life when they need to make a difficult decision. How to make the right decision when in doubt? Which direction of study should I choose? The partner I am with now will not disappoint me in the future, am I in love with him for life? Should I accept the offer or can I find more interesting work? These are just some of the dilemmas that most of us face.

The choice of whether to buy apples or pears seems insignificant compared to decisions whose consequences can affect a lifetime. How can you be sure that you are making the right decisions? How to avoid internal dissonance, the impression that the option you refused could be better than the one you chose? How to use difficult decisions?

Decision making methods

There are mainly two decision-making strategies used - heuristics and algorithms. Thinking algorithmically, a person carefully studies and analyzes, comparing the pros and cons of a particular option. Heuristics save us time because they appeal to emotions, intuition, preferences, and internal beliefs, without “calculation.”

It seems that when faced with a difficult choice, it is wiser to think through everything carefully several times before making a final decision. Meanwhile, people are very often guided by their hearts rather than their heads - even when making decisions that have an impact on their entire lives (for example, when choosing a life partner). How to understand what is best for us in a given situation?

Depending on the rank of the problem, a person usually uses from 1 to 3 decision-making strategies. What methods are used when making life choices?

1. Getting information from others

When you don’t know what to decide, you often use the support of loved ones, friends, and family. You are consulting, searching Additional information. If you need to make a difficult decision, you should consult with others and ask what they would do in a similar situation. Brainstorming and exchanging ideas with others helps you look at a problem from a new perspective.

2. Postponing the decision over time

If no one and nothing helps, do not rush into making a choice, give yourself time. You may temporarily not feel strong enough to make decisions that could affect your entire life. Postponing the decision until later may prove good idea, since during this time new facts may be discovered that will help make a choice. But it is important not to put it off indefinitely; in the end, you need to make a decision.

3. Eliminating the worst options

When you have several different options and you don’t know which one to give preference to, make a choice, excluding what seems the worst and least interesting. At the end of such elimination, a better alternative will remain.

4. Choosing the least evil

The choice is not always between good-better or good-worse: you have to choose between two not the most attractive options. How do you choose between two equally unpleasant alternatives?

You need to choose what has fewer potentially negative consequences and come to terms with the decision. There are things we simply cannot influence. Therefore, sometimes it is easier to come to terms with the need to make a decision with bad consequences than to make such a choice.

5. Analyze before you choose

This is a strategy related to algorithmic thinking. Consider for yourself the pros and cons of each alternative and choose the one that has more positive consequences. In other words, a balance is drawn up of the profits and losses associated with choosing one option and refusing another. However, similar cold calculation is not always possible, because sometimes emotions take precedence over reason.

6. Act on the spur of the moment

Sometimes there is neither the time nor the opportunity to consider the proposals received for a long time. Then you need to make a decision spontaneously, right away, in the heat of the moment. In this case, it is better to trust your instinct, your inner voice. Not always, guided by emotions, we act rashly. In hindsight, it turns out to be the right decision, so trust yourself and your intuition.

7. Descartes square

One of the most effective and simple ways make a difficult decision. You are asked to analyze any situation or problem with different points vision. To make the right decision, answer four questions by looking at the picture below.

Be careful when answering the fourth question because your brain will try to ignore the double negative and try to answer like the first question. Don't let this happen!

Why is this method so effective? When you are in a situation that requires you to make a difficult decision, you often get stuck at the first point - what will happen if this happens? However, Descartes' square allows us to look at the problem from a multifaceted perspective and make a carefully thought-out and informed choice.

8. PMI method

How to effectively make difficult decisions? You can use Edward de Bono's method - the PMI method. This abbreviation is a derivative English words(plus, minus, interesting). The method is very simple. It is based on the fact that before making a decision, it is comprehensively assessed. A table is drawn on a piece of paper with three columns (pros, cons, interesting), and in each column the arguments for and against are indicated. The “interesting” column records everything that is neither good nor bad, but is still related to decision making.

Below is an example. Decision: should I rent an apartment on the outskirts with a friend?

When this table is drawn up, score each of the arguments in accordance with the direction (arguments for are indicated by a plus, against - by a minus). For example, for someone higher value has more space than pleasant company. At the end, the value of all arguments is summed up and it is determined whether the balance will be positive or negative.

The PMI method cannot be called innovative; it is not fundamentally different from how we make decisions in Everyday life. It seems that he evaluates the strong and weak sides given choice. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most of us, when making a decision, actually make it for ourselves from the very beginning and then select arguments that would justify our choice. Even if it turns out that the decision we made has 3 more minuses, we will still choose it. People are actually not very rational, they are guided more by personal preferences, taste, etc. The pros and cons on a piece of paper will allow for an accurate analysis, at least with a partial shutdown of emotions.

People are very often afraid of the consequences of their choices and do not like to make decisions. They would willingly shift responsibility for their lives to other people. Unfortunately, if we want to be happy, we must learn to decide our own issues and bear the burden of life's choices. There is no guarantee that others would have done it better for us. We'll never know whether the options we ignore are better than the ones we choose, so don't cry over spilled milk and constantly lament the merits of rejected alternatives. Constantly ongoing dissonance kills us morally.

Then to some extent we influence our destiny. And, of course, they are interested in making the choice optimal. That's why it's important to use different tools to help predict positive and Negative consequences making one decision or another.

Why do people make bad decisions?

This is not such a simple question if you think about it. You can, of course, get away with the banal: “People are stupid.” But even smart, talented, experienced people make bad decisions. That's why:

Lack of time
Relying on a single source of information
Emotional experiences
A large number of thoughts about the problem
Failure to notice alternatives and new opportunities
Lack of knowledge and clarity
Underestimating the amount of time needed to make the right decision
Reassessment of your own skills, knowledge, abilities and resources
Fear of making the wrong decision

All these barriers prevent you from making the right decision. And if they work in tandem, trio or quartet, then the situation gets even worse. How to overcome them?

Practice 360-degree thinking

Thoughts influence emotions, emotions influence decisions, and decisions influence actions. And each link in this chain can be optimally configured.

360-degree thinking consists of three essential components, which are also methods. They can be used for effective analysis situations, after which it becomes easier to make the right decision.

These are the components:

A look into the past.
Foresight.
Insight.

By using all three of these thinking methods, you view your life from a 360-degree perspective. That is, they work best together.

A look into the past

Looking into the past (aka retrospective analysis) will help you critically evaluate your past. This allows you to comprehensively understand a situation that has already occurred in order to improve your future decisions.

It is useful because it helps you learn from mistakes, problems, failures and past successes. As a result of this learning experience, you can adjust your course of action to move forward much faster.

If you don't know or have never done self-reflection, then this is a very suitable case. Take time to review the decisions you made yesterday. Ask yourself:

What did I do yesterday?
What decisions did I make?
What problems did you encounter?
How did I deal with these problems?
How did I deal with the problems that arose when I encountered a problem?
How does this make me feel?
From what other point of view can I look at my yesterday's problems?
What can I learn from yesterday's experience?
What could I have done differently?
What do I need to improve to deal with this problem more effectively next time?

Please note, this is not simply scrolling through negative thoughts (which is what you usually do), but self-reflection. You ask yourself the right questions, provide answers, and figure out what you can do better next time. Now you are more aware of what decisions you are making and in what state you are making.

From now on, you will begin to approach your problems and decision-making more consciously, and not on autopilot. Next time there is a greater chance of doing everything right. In other words, you drew the right conclusions from past experience - this is what all successful people do.

It should be remembered that you should not use the past to make decisions in the future. Each situation is unique in its own way. What works today may not work tomorrow. But the process of self-reflection itself is very useful because it forces you to reflect on your thinking, actions and decisions.

Foresight

Foresight is the ability to predict future events, changes, trends and the consequences of one's actions. Moreover, it is the ability to explore alternative scenarios that could potentially unfold.

This mindset is useful because it helps you see and predict what might be ahead. Therefore, you will be better able to identify opportunities and make much less mistakes when making decisions.

Foresight works great in tandem with hindsight. This way, you can use the past as a barometer to predict the future and therefore make better decisions.

To develop foresight, you need to learn how to successfully address potential threats and identify your needs in advance. This is planning, as well as gathering the necessary resources that will help in the future.

Ask yourself the following questions:

How will this decision affect the future?
How will this decision affect my future decisions?
What are the consequences of making this decision?
What options will I have after making this decision?
What problems will arise?
What if everything goes wrong? How will I react?
What is my plan B and C?
What happens if...?

Foresight is not an exact science. It's more of a game where you try to use a combination of lessons learned from the past and ideas from the present to make the best decision.

By considering these two factors, you can generate possible future scenarios that will help you make better decisions.

Insight

Insight is the ability to discern true character situations. This is the ability to understand your situation, as well as cause-and-effect relationships. In other words, it is about gaining an accurate understanding of the people, events and circumstances in your life.

Insight is often the catalyst for creativity, innovation and inspiration. This is what brings out those “Eureka!” moments, when all the puzzle pieces suddenly come together into something that makes sense. It's like you've come out of a fog and are now finally seeing things in a whole new way that opens up a world of new possibilities.

However, it is worth saying that the ideas that come to your mind are nothing more than an interpretation of reality based on past experiences, as well as perceptions and expectations of the future. In short, real insight only comes when you have mastered the other two ways of thinking.

The best entrepreneurs and politicians in the world have this skill. To master it, you need to read a lot, understand people and be curious. But even this is not enough. You need to learn to understand your thinking patterns, get rid of cognitive distortions, be in a conscious state and see the essence of things. In a sense, we are talking about intuition.

Start by becoming more observant of what is happening around and within you. Notice the world around you and ask deep questions about yourself, others, and the circumstances in which you find yourself. For example:

Why do I do what I do? Why does this matter to me?
What do others need? Why is this important to them?
What's happening? Why is this happening? What does it mean?
What is the problem? How did this become a problem? Why is it still a problem?
Why are the circumstances the way they are and not others?
How did this happen and why does it matter?
What is the value of knowing this? How does this knowledge change my perspective?
What's another way to look at this situation? Why is it important?
Why did this happen? What led to this? What happened before this? Is there a connection?
How are these two events related? Why are they connected in this way?
How was this done? Who did it? Could it have been different?

If you start asking these and similar questions, you will become very attentive and observant. Tyrion Lannister, if you will, who often asked himself what others needed and carefully analyzed the events of his life and the world around him.

You will learn to understand why things are the way they are and how they could potentially be different. In fact, you cease to be a passive observer. As a result, you begin to think critically about yourself, about others, and about the circumstances with which you are dealing. All this stimulates the emergence of deeper thoughts, allowing you to draw conclusions in situations that you have never considered before. This opens up new levels of understanding.

There are situations when the solution lies on the surface, you just need to extend your hand. Others are complex and consist of many factors. To make the right decision, you need to use 360-degree thinking, looking at the problem from all sides. It won’t happen right away, but certain results will be visible after the first use of this technique.

Practice step-by-step decision making process

Step One: Get Clear on What You Want

Your first step is to clearly understand your desired outcome and identify the resources needed to achieve that outcome. Ask yourself:

What is my desired outcome?
What exactly would I like to achieve?
What might be required to achieve this result?
How should I prioritize my efforts?

Understanding what result you want to achieve is important because it (understanding) helps direct all efforts towards achieving one goal. Then you will be able to make more effective decisions.

Step Two: Take Action to Achieve Your Desired Results

When you don't quite understand how to get to your desired destination, it's easy to panic. However, the important thing is that you take the first step.

You only need to take one step that will move you a little closer to desired result. There is likely still a lot of fog ahead, but it is clear that this action is necessary. For example, if you're looking to buy a car and are completely overwhelmed by the number of options, your first step might be to read car-specific forums. By learning to understand the topic, you can make a more informed decision.

In any difficult decision There are always several actions that you can start with. At some point you will advance and further actions will become more obvious.

Step Three: Track Your Results

You should always be vigilant about what works and what doesn't work. There is no point in wasting valuable time on ineffective tools.

However, to start measuring progress, you need to understand what exactly you will be measuring. Ask yourself the following questions:

How will I know I'm moving in the right direction?
How exactly will I measure my progress?
How will I know that I have achieved my goal?

The more clarity you have about where you are in the process, the better the decision.

Step Four: Stay Flexible in Your Decision Making

The action plan will always be reworked, because it is impossible to predict all the factors in this absurd world. Therefore, you must be flexible in your decisions and actions at all times. Keep your long-term goals in mind at all times to help you stay on track.

Ask yourself:

What results do I want to achieve?
What am I doing now?
Is my current action getting me closer to results?
This is the most The best way doing so?
What should I change to get better results?

Don't lose your temper if things don't go as planned. This is fine. Find out why you veered off course, be curious rather than annoyed. With the curiosity of a scientist, ask yourself questions and look for optimal solutions.

Complete decision making process

The previous point was rather preparatory and theoretical. Here we will talk about the complete decision-making process. It will require significantly more time, which means it needs to be used if the problem facing you is really important.

Step One: Get Clarity

Let's first understand the importance of the decision you are about to make. Ask yourself:

What are the options?
What decision should I ideally make?
Why is this decision so important?
How will it help me?
How important is this decision for my loved ones?
Can it change my life?
Do other people understand the importance of this decision?

It is worth being clear about the importance of the decision you are about to make, because this will help determine how much effort and time you will spend.

Step Two: Gather the Facts and Explore Options

Sometimes a solution requires a gathering large quantity information. And, if it is important to you, then you need to allocate enough time to it.

Once you've gathered all the information you need, take the time to consider possible ways forward. Ask yourself:

What decision can I make?
What actions can I take?
What options are there?
What will I need?

For one solution you may need money, help from other people and a lot of time. For others - a lot of work and patience. What will be best for you?

It's time to look at the pros and cons of each solution option. Ask yourself:

What are the benefits of this course of action?
What are the disadvantages?
What are the advantages of one option over the other?

As you ask yourself these questions, think about the sacrifices you will have to make in the first and second case. They may not be obvious: sometimes you can ruin relationships with others by making decisions that do not affect them.

It all basically comes down to opportunity cost. Taking one course of action may prevent you from taking another, and there may be advantages and disadvantages to different options.

Step Four: Determine the Worst-Case Scenario

Remember Murphy's Law: “If something bad can happen, it will happen.” Take it into account whenever you make a decision.

Ask yourself, “What is the worst that could happen if I make this decision. How will I deal with the consequences?

Of course, the worst case scenario may not always happen. But you need to be prepared for it. At least psychologically. After weighing the pros and cons and figuring out what worst-case scenarios await you, make a decision. But remember that it should be flexible so that if something goes wrong, you can quickly rebuild and update your action plan.

Step Five: Learn from Experience

You made a decision and now you either reap the rewards of your efforts or regret your mistakes. In any case, all this is an experience that needs to be appreciated. Ask yourself:

What did I learn from this experience?
What have I learned about how I make decisions?
Was this decision completely in keeping with my personality and my values?
Have I achieved the desired result?
Did I adjust my actions when I encountered problems?

There are many questions you could ask yourself. So please don't limit yourself to just these. Think of others you might ask, especially after mistakes, defeat, or failure.

We wish you good luck!