Make the Hard Decisions

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

All of us make decisions all day, every day. Some are conscious and some aren’t. What to eat. What to wear. How to respond to a question or comment. Where to invest money. The list is endless. As exhausting as it can seem, always make decisions with purpose and always tackle the hard ones.

Adults are estimated to make around 35,000 remotely conscious decision each day¹. That is a ton of decisions. Many of these can be hard, with no clear “right choice”. It’s ok not to be sure. Studies of mice showed if they weren’t confident, and ended up making the correct choice and receiving the reward, that’s when they learned most and changed their future decisions². We aren’t mice, but the lesson carries over. Make the best decisions you can, with the knowledge you have. Learn from the outcomes.

Decisions take strategy. A common approach is to make a list of pros and cons, but remember life is about more than accumulating pleasure and avoiding pain³. Decisions define who we are and who we become. Think about future scenarios and consult with others you respect and trust⁴. Try not to make a hasty decision which could result in outcomes you aren’t prepared for. That said, don’t delay to the point of making no decision.

There are no tools out there that can make decisions for you. If one claims to be able to, it’s probably a scam. Tools and techniques are for suggestions, thinking points, and possible nudges. Ultimately, decisions are always up to you. Even if you don’t make a decision, that’s still a decision and will have consequences. Do what steps work for you, but always consciously decide and act. Learn from each outcome and use that knowledge to make better decisions in the future. Rinse and repeat.

Action: Tackle your hardest decisions first each day. Learn from the results.

Further Reading:

1. 35,000 Decisions: The Great Choices of Strategic Leaders
2. How the brain learns from making difficult decisions
3. How Do You Make Hard Decisions?
4. Six science-backed techniques to help you make hard decisions