Decision Making Techniques

No matter what your role is in life, you are posed with problems and choices to make each day. You either face or avoid them. If you exercise your decision making skills, you will learn and experience positive changes and personal growth even if you make the wrong decision.

Decision making process usually involves defining the problem, determining the requirements, establishing the goal, identifying alternatives, defining the criteria, evaluation and validating the solutions against the problem. There are also several decision making styles. Some people are intuitive. Some are analytical, systematic and individualistic. It doesn't matter which decision making techniques, styles or tools you use as long as you decide instead of vacillating.

The Power of Making Decisions

Whatever you are experiencing in your life right now is the accumulation of numerous bad and good decisions that you have made plus the outcome of neglect, procrastination and indecision. If only you had decided to leave the job that you hated earlier, you wouldn't have to suffer from burnout. If you had made the decision to live a healthy lifestyle and practice healthy eating, you don't have to worry about your health right now. If you had paid more attention to your spouse and children, they would have been more supportive.

You've made your decisions based on your past experiences. You may pause and look at different decision making techniques only if you face a big problem and can't solve it using your familiar method.

Like many other people, you probably don't like to make decisions, take action and gain self control. The reason is because you are afraid of the consequences. Your fear of making the wrong choice and coming to a wrong conclusion cause you to hesitate. This is because you doubt yourself and you fear that other people will not approve.

How to Make Decisions - Decision Making Techniques

Decision Making Techniques No. 1 - Decide What You Want to Achieve

Whatever you do in life, the first thing you must do is define what it is that you want to achieve or solve. It also applies in the decision process. Write down the issue and the solution you want to achieve on a piece of paper. Writing it down gives you clarity. If you don't define and make it clear, you may fail to see the real problem.

Decision Making Techniques No. 2 - Gather Information

You need vital information to make intelligent and good decisions. Find out all you can from books and search for them through the internet. Ask yourself questions and ask other people for opinions and views. Do a brainstorming session to come up with more options and ideas. When you have choices, you will have more freedom to choose and to achieve a desirable outcome.

Decision Making Techniques No. 3 - Identify Alternatives

Combine all your information and ideas. Look at each and consider the risks involved and the possible gains. Look at the pro and cons. What are the drawbacks? Ask the "what if", "so what if", "why not", "why not now" and "why not I" questions to further stimulate your thinking process and challenge your fears and limiting beliefs.

Look at it from a different point of view. Look at it as an observer and see it as though it is happening to someone else. What would your reaction be? When you see the problem differently you will create a different meaning and your experience will change. And you will create more choices when you see things from a different perspective.

Decision Making Techniques No. 4 - Evaluate

If you are not sure which is the best solution, evaluate your choices based on your personal values or what's important to you. It will help you make a decision without thinking of immediate gratification or relying on your emotions. Your values on what you believe in and what you stand for will guide your decision making process.

It's highly recommended that you allocate time to contemplate when you have a big issue to resolve. Your inner guidance will lead you to make the right decision. If you are still unsure, trust your intuition or gut feeling.

Decision Making Techniques No. 5 - Make the Decision

Don't keep thinking about it and procrastinate further. Toughen yourself mentally and remove any remaining doubts and uncertainties and make the decision. Of course there is a risk of making mistakes or making a wrong or bad decision but you can rectify the situation and correct your course.

Decision Making Techniques No. 6 - Take Action

Once you have decided, write down the action steps or things that you must do and take action with confidence. Remind yourself that a wrong decision is better than not making any decision.

The countless decisions that you make through your journey in life will enhance your personal growth. This habit that you develop is important to your success and your mental health. It gives you peace of mind knowing that you have control over your own life. Having control gives you the power to commit to your own rules and the flexibility to make corrective actions.

Additional Resource for Decision Making Techniques

Bold Decision Making by Bob Proctor

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