How To Make Difficult Decisions

As adults, we all have to face difficult decisions. Sometimes, it feels like they never really end. Once you get over the hurdle of making one difficult decision, another presents itself. Life can be full of turmoil and indecision, but if you equip yourself with these simple tools, you’ll easily soar over each hurdle like an Olympian. With that ability, no matter how many difficult decisions come at you, you’ll face them head on with ease. So, without further rambling, I’ll get to the tools:

1. The tried and true, pros and cons list - Sure, you probably already have a good idea what the upside and downside is to each major life decision you have to make, but visualizing it can change your perspective. Laying it all out in front of you so you can look at it as a whole, will enable you to see it in a new light. It also has a tendency to force you to be honest with yourself, as you try to fill each column. Whether you use an old fashioned piece of paper and pen, or you draw it up in Excel, the pros and cons list will help you reach that troublesome decision with immeasurable more ease.

2. Write it out - Imagine you’re writing to a friend who asked for advice with this problem. This allows you to get out of your head and imagine how you might feel if your friend was facing the same difficult decision you are. You’re never going to be able to find a way to be fully objective here, but trying to get out of your own head as much as possible is going to help here. We all have a tendency to talk like we know what the best decision for other people is in difficult situations, so give yourself advice as though you’re giving it to someone else.

3. Get informed - Do your research. If you’re having difficulty deciding on which car to buy, check out consumer reviews and ratings. If you’re thinking of taking a job offer at another company, check them out on employee review sites like glassdoor.com. The more information you have regarding your decision, the clearer the answer will be. Give yourself a time limit for this, though. You don’t want to spend months stressing over something that was pretty clear after a week.

4. Do not avoid it - Some of us have the bad habit of avoiding things that stress us out. All this does, though, is make more stress for future you. Future you isn’t going to be so happy about that. No matter how stressful something is, just face it. Get through it. Know that the sooner you deal with it, the sooner it’s in the past, and future you can sit back, crack a beer and relax knowing it’s all behind you.

5. Ask for help - Whether you’re just seeking advice from a friend, or you’re looking for the wisdom of experts, seeking advice is always a great way to give you a new perspective on things.

6. Set your emotions aside - It’s easy to let your feelings take over, but if your emotions are in the driver’s seat, there’s no way you can see the problem clearly. You must take time to let your options sink in, get over how they make you feel, and make your decision with reason rather than emotion.

Nothing will ever prevent you from making mistakes, but if you practice all of these points when making big decisions, you’ll certainly have an easier time deciding what is the right thing to do. Do you have any tips for making difficult decisions? Let us know in the comments!