The Top 10 Ways to Make a Difficult Decision

The Top 10 Ways to Make a Difficult Decision

Category: Success, Smart Choices, Wisdom (BD107)

Originally Submitted on 9/12/97.

Decisions may be difficult for many reasons. There may be too many pros and cons, making a balanced decision difficult. It may be that we simply don't care one way or the other, or that we haven't thought the whole thing through. The following suggestions grow in complexity from the totally superficial to the deeply considered. Most are not stand-alones and can be combined with others, particularly with #4 and #6.

1. Toss a coin - when you are truly indifferent to the outcome.

2. Think about your alternatives, and their outcomes, carefully and reasonably.

3. Toss a coin. As you observe how it falls, check your gut feelings. Do you feel happier, or do you wish you hadn't made the toss? The answer will tell you which way you REALLY want to go, and you are NOT bound by the fall of the coin.

4. Pray, meditate, seek inspiration.

5. Make a list of the pros and cons. Include your positive and negative feelings about the decision as part of the pros and cons. Weigh the balance.

6. Discuss your options with trusted and objective other people.

7. If you need more information, do research on the Internet or at a library.

8. If your decision involves choosing between A and B, seek a synthesis of the two. It may be that with such a synthesis you will not have to reject either.

9. Create a decision tree. This involves asking yes-or-no questions at every point. The first question might be: Do I want to make a change? Then: Am I willing to make the effort to make the change? And so down the tree, with a yes-or-no at every point, until a final decision is reached.

10. Create a decision tree with feelings. At every point of decision, check the question and the answers against your gut feelings, your values, your vision and your purpose. Best use is to combine with #4 through #7.

About the Submitter

This piece was originally submitted by Diana Robinson, Ph.D., CASAC, Professional Life Coach, Writer, Counselor, who can be reached at Diana@choicecoach.com, or visited on the web. Diana Robinson wants you to know: As a Professional Life Coach I welcome the chance to work with people seeking to reconnect with their own strengths and their own authenticity, people who are seeking balance in their lives, and to whom inner, as well as outer, success is important. I offer a half-hour complimentary coaching call and a free twice-monthly e-mail newsletter. For more information see my web site. The original source is: Lots of decision making experience, both good and bad.

This content may be forwarded in full, with copyright, contact, and creation information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit context. For other uses, permission in writing from CoachVille is required. Questions: email topten@coachville.com

Visitors:

Please use your browser controls to close this page & return to the selection page, or click to return to Top 10 home page.