Psychology of Decision-Making
Life presents us all with diverse choices. They can vary from mundane choices like whether to wear pink or black to the office party to extremely consequential, life-altering decisions such as choosing the right person to marry or taking the best possible job for career growth. Although daily life choices are a piece of cake for most of us, we all have experienced a ‘decision paralysis’ while taking a major decision in life.
Decision making is an art. It is a key skill that will aid you in every aspect of your life. Master this skill and you will be climbing up the stairs of success in your personal and professional life in no time!
Anxious and confused about whether to leave your job or not? Who to vote for in the next elections?
Let’s learn the art of crucial decision making from our old friend Psychology!
The decisions that we tend to make are either well evaluated or impulsive. Impulsive decisions are solely based upon our intuition, fired up by our raw, unprocessed emotions. While on an ostensible level it seems to be a time-effective approach, un-scrutinized and momentary choices can lead you to bumpy roads in life and you may also reach an impasse!
So what exactly is the roadmap for taking a ‘good’ decision?
As humans, it is mandatory for us to understand that in life there is no one right decision. However, situational and analytical factors can help you in opting for the best possible choice.
Calculated decisions are mature decisions…
Yes! You read that right. The recipe that I have designed for your perfect decision making is:
Patience + Analytical skills + Past Experience = A Cogent Decision
To begin with, give yourself time prior to making any counterproductive or impactful decision. Patience is an exceptional life skill! When you do not rush into a decision, you are actually giving yourself time to weigh the ‘pros and cons’ of every choice that you are presented with. To quote Sigmund Freud, the father of Psychology, “When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons.” Therefore, before you decide to settle for a choice, read articles online, ask for advice from experienced/successful people, review the market trends and restrict your personal prejudices as much as possible.
However, if your analytical skills are a vehicle that takes you to beautiful destinations of apt decisions, the fuel of this vehicle is ‘Past Experience’! Your personal experiences are your guidebook for what works and does not work for you. Always ask yourself this question while undergoing the process of decision making, ‘How did the choices I made yesterday affect my present life?’ This practice will help you to learn from your mistakes, as well as to take lessons and advice from the wisdom of your younger self.
In a nutshell, always remember that the decisions you take today define the course of your future endeavors. While this may seem a bit overwhelming, by now you know the drill of how to never go down the wrong path of decision making which is – Sit back. Relax your mind. Evaluate and Research. Weigh the pros and cons. Sleep over it. Pray. Take the decision. GO ALL IN!
