Decisions, Decisions… Why We Make The Choices We Make, and How to Do It Just a Little Bit Better

Everyday life confronts us with choices.

What to wear, what to eat, who to spend time with - even minor decisions can start to feel overwhelming.

But it’s for those major events that can profoundly alter our paths that we need our decision-making mojo.

Learning to handle these decisions well,?so we make more thoughtful choices is crucial for living a fulfilling life.

The good news is we can actively improve our decision-making capacity.

Understanding the brain's biology and psychology provides a roadmap for this important skill.

It’s why disciplined leaders like Barack Obama and Steve Jobs aimed to reduce the energy that goes into minor decision-making by establishing set routines and rituals - like simplifying their clothing choices - to preserve brainpower for more significant choices.

So, the next time you find yourself wearing your go-to outfit multiple days in a row, you can tell people you’re not just being lazy - you're conserving mental energy for the major decisions that truly matter :).

This is particularly important because research shows we can easily experience "decision fatigue."

The prefrontal cortex, which governs higher cognition, activates with every choice we make - even insignificant ones - gradually depleting our limited mental resources.

Studies show that the more daily micro-decisions we face, the harder it becomes to think clearly and make bigger judgment calls.

Our brains tire like muscles from overuse.

Rushing big decisions often leads to poor outcomes (based on personal experiments of n=1).

The trick is to understand how to thoughtfully weigh the pros and cons when we’re facing major crossroads, while simultaneously knowing when to ignore them (more on that shortly).

It begins with actively seeking perspectives from those we trust to gain insights that we might otherwise have missed.

Once all thoughts and ideas are gathered, then make the time and space to clarify what matters…and own that final choice.

Additionally, it’s important to learn from past experiences to avoid repeating past missteps. Reflect on previous choices to detect the patterns related to good and bad results.

Our brains intrinsically recognize and apply these patterns to inform future judgments.

Regular reflection provides important data that sharpens our judgment.

That said, it’s important to consider not just logic but intuition.

Modern neuroscience confirms the ancient wisdom – going with gut taps into a lifetime's accumulated wisdom, often seeing what our analytical minds miss.

When torn or unsure, listen to your heart.

The Decider

Recently I created an opportunity (for another post) to spend time this fall back in Geneva, a city I’d lived in for almost a decade.

As I weighed this decision, there were, of course, pros and cons.

I spoke to friends.

I gathered the data.

In the end, what it came down to was values.

When making those big decisions that we all inevitably have to make, it can simply be a matter of asking yourself what’s truly important to you.

For me it was about having more time with friends, people who I’ve hardly seen since I moved back to the US…though a couple of months lakeside in the middle of Europe also helped in the decision-making process :).

Consider looking ahead, and trying the decision on. Envision how potential choices will feel once you’re living with them months and years down the road, including future regrets.

The ability to vividly imagine long-term consequences today can greatly enhance your decision-making ability.

In the end, it really can be as simple as asking yourself, “if I do or don’t do this, how will I feel 6 months or a year from now?”

In the end, the choice really is yours.

The Undecided:

1. For important decisions, when possible, resist pressure and take the time you need. Rushing depletes mental faculties. Conversely, ensure that you have some guardrails, so you don’t keep putting the decision off. Not making a decision is also a decision.

2. Seek input from the people you trust who can provide you with different perspectives. Gather, synthesize, and integrate their insights into your decision-making process.

3. Reflect on past choices to learn from experience (yeah, I know, not always my strong suit either :). Pay attention and try to detect your success and failure patterns. This will help you build your intuition muscles.

4. Future vision your options for the potential benefits and regrets. What are you willing to live with and what would you be better off living without

5. Be like Barack and conserve your energy by building routines around small decisions to preserve mental energy.

Improving our decision-making takes effort but comes with big rewards. Few skills create greater opportunity and satisfaction.

Which is why the next time you hear from me it will be from Geneva…hopefully lakeside :).