5 Decision-Making Techniques to Maximize Your Success and Happiness

Life is a series of decisions but the scary thing is most of us are unaware of the decisions we make.

We pick and choose without conscious thought.

Don’t believe me?

Think back to just a few seconds ago when you decided to read this.

Was it a conscious decision? Did you say to yourself, “I want to read this” or did you start reading without actually thinking about it?

I’m going to take a guess here…

You probably started reading without thinking.

If you want to reach high levels of achievement and satisfaction, unconscious choices must be replaced with skilled, conscious decision-making in all areas of your life.

When you know how to make accurate decisions, you’re taking the smart route to effectively boost your chances for high-achievement.

Here are techniques you can immediately implement to start making rapid, precise decision to maximize success and happiness.

Trust Your Gut

This is one of the fastest and most precise decision-making methods in my personal toolkit.

When I feel stuck and up against a wall, I go with my gut.

Some of the most important decisions of my life were made on pure instinct…

And every one of them was spot on.

I’ve hired team members, started partnerships, and invested in companies based on gut instinct.

And it hasn’t failed me yet.

I know trusting your instincts might sound strange or “out there” for some but it’s actually far more scientific than it sounds.

Your instinct arises from the information stored in the unconscious mind. This is the part of the brain that collects all of the information around you, even the bits you are unaware of.

Your instinct is essentially your brain presenting you with relevant information that’s locked deep in your unconscious. There’s nothing strange about that.

So, start trusting your gut.

Use your instinct to make small decisions and then as you gain more confidence, work your way up to bigger more important ones.

Time Equals Significance

Not all decisions are made equal and the amount of time, effort and energy you spend on making each decision, must reflect this.

If you find yourself taking 60 minutes to decide what to have for lunch and the same amount of time to decide on whether you want to move to another city, I’ll tell you straight up…

You’re doing it wrong.

Here’s how you can get back on track…

When you find yourself getting lost in making the decision rather than reaching a decision, it’s a clear sign that it’s time for you to step back and evaluate.

If the decision is about something that won’t affect your life in a big way, save your time and energy and make that decision as quickly as you can.

But if it’s something truly life-changing …

Is it time to start a family? Should you quit your job and start a business?...

Give yourself lots of time to evaluate the facts and talk to people you trust before arriving at your final conclusion.

List it Out

Confusion.

It’s one of the biggest obstacles that stand between you and fast, precise decision-making.

My advice? Create a good, old-fashioned priority list every time you have to make a major decision.

If you’re planning to buy a new home, list what’s important to you, in order of priority.

This could be price, location, school district, type of house…

It’s totally up to you.

Creating a priority list may seem like a time-consuming thing to do, but the opposite is true.

A list takes you out of confusion and into clarity so you can arrive a great decision, quickly and easily.

Get Those ZZZs

Exhaustion is the enemy of fast decision-making.

When you’re tired, you can’t think straight and when you can’t think straight your decision-making skills leave the building.

So, if you know you have a tough decision ahead of you, get some rest.

A good night’s sleep is a great way to revitalize your brain so you can approach your decision with a clear mind.

But what if you have to make a sudden, important decision at the end of a busy, stressful day?

When you’re in a pinch, close your eyes for a minute or two and breathe deeply. Then, come back to your decision.

Oxygen helps to refresh the brain and calm the mind.

When you take a few deep breaths, you’ll find you’re a lot more focused and ready to make the right decision.

Downsize Options

We all love options. Netflix is a great testament to this.

But let me ask you …

Have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through lists of movies because you just can’t decide which one you want to watch?

This is fine when you’re sprawled on the couch with time to kill on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

But it doesn’t work when you need to get to the right decision, fast.

The best solution? Downsize your options.

Aim for just two.

If you’re about to buy a car and you have 10 different models in mind, bring your options down to two.

If you’re thinking about your next vacation and there are – literally – a world of possibilities, bring those options down to two.

If you can’t do this, ask a trusted friend or loved one for help.

When you have just two options, you’re far more likely to make a quick decision that works well for you.

While some decisions are not absolutely critical, many of them are.

Don’t leave your happiness and success to chance.

Practice these great decision-making techniques so when the time comes to make a crucial decision, you’ll feel calm and confident because you already know that you have what it takes to make the perfect decision.

I originally published this article on the Evercoach Blog.