Decision Making Under Pressure: Knowing Your Angel and Demon

When I was young and was watching cartoons, there has always been that situation when the character was about to do something (good or bad), and suddenly an angel and a devil would appear on each of her shoulders, and where each would advise on their own preference…

When faced with difficult decisions, it can often feel like two opposing forces within us vying for control. Sometimes we might even visualize these forces as an angel and a devil sitting on our shoulders, each offering their own advice. At many points in our life, we may face some situations (let’s call them opportunities for now) where we need to make a decision to seize the moment and go for it or stop ourselves from taking another step. 

Regardless of whether or not we choose to visualize these forces in this way, we all have some sort of internal mechanism that drives our actions. This might be our habits, instincts, values, beliefs, or cultures, but whatever we choose to call it, it ultimately shapes our choices and decisions.

“Our minds sometimes see what our hearts wish were true.” ~ Dan Brown, Angels & Demons

In the words of Dan Brown, "Our minds sometimes see what our hearts wish were true." This is why getting to know the "angel and demon" within us is important. By understanding these internal forces, we can learn to have more control over our actions and make better decisions rather than allowing external factors to control us.

This week’s tip is about getting to know your Angel & Demon of yours and how to make sure you don’t have to deal with them at the wrong time. (At least not without knowing them). The reason this is important is that you would want to get to know yourself better and to have more control over your actions rather than making other uncontrollable factors make you take a decision when you are more vulnerable than your normal 100%.

According to research, our brains tend to shut down certain functions and rely on our habits when we are under stress. This is known as the "auto-pilot" mode, which can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can be helpful in crises when we don't have time to think and need to act quickly. But on the other hand, it can also lead to negative outcomes if our habits are not positive.

You may be in a crisis situation, a relationship “situation,” or just randomly. How do would you trigger your Angel Auto-pilot or your Demon Auto-pilot to come out for a small chat?

Well, it’s not as simple as it may sound, however, and luckily for you, the source of the wiring in our brains is pretty much the same Fundamentally. So Whether the source of stress is actually a lion chasing you, or late bills chasing you, or the source of Opportunity is a Burger King’s Whooper or a long-term Investment… The chemicals in your head would almost act the same. And with high chances that the Angel / Demon would use the same logic on your behalf and you would act the same…

To better understand these internal forces, practicing "rehearsing" different scenarios can be helpful. For example, imagine yourself in a situation where you are tempted to cheat on your partner or imagine yourself in the role of a villain in a movie. These exercises can help us to better understand our own reactions and responses and to train our "angel and demon" to act in a specific way rather than relying on chance. It can be just a fun exercise that you will get better at it with time… and the more you rehearse it… and once you get to know your angel and demon more… You can then TRAIN THEM to act in a specific way rather than relying on what would happen by chance.

In summary, understanding the internal forces that shape our decisions and actions is crucial for making better choices and leading a more fulfilling life. By "rehearsing" different scenarios and getting to know our own "angel and demon," we can learn to have more control over our actions and make better decisions, both in our personal and professional lives.

Have a great week,

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