The decision-making process brings positive results. A scientific-based protocol could make the difference.
How long do you think about eating before you get something to eat when you’re hungry? It probably doesn’t take long to grab a snack and go about your business, now does it?
Well, decisions like these are simple and almost brainless, but other decisions take a little more thought.
Sometimes a scientific-backed decision-making process is the only way to hash out some of those really involved situations.
Whether or not you wish to pursue a degree in science or if you want to marry your girlfriend – these are decisions you must think about for a while before coming to an answer. It takes time to pick a pathway for your future.
The decision-making process will be needed in these situations because pursuing a degree in science will change your life, possibly cause you to relocate, and even eliminate your ability to retain certain friendships.
With marriage, the decision can change your life in even more drastic ways, some good, and for others, negative consequences. Just being honest here.
The correct decision-making process will help you eliminate the wrong choices and elevate the right ones, giving you an outlook on what could happen with both the pros and cons of each situation.
Where marriage is concerned, your life will change from “me first” to put your partner’s needs ahead of your own. That’s a huge change all in itself.
A step by step process
But these are only examples. There are worlds of decisions waiting to be made, and you have to know how to do it right. With that being said, here are the steps you need to know in order to get it right the first time….hopefully.
Identification
The first thing that happens is that you realize a decision must be made. It’s the primary step with any issue you face. Making this discovery without taking random action is smart. This gives you the ability to see the problem clearly and realize that something intelligent must be done.
Gather pertinent information
The next step will be to gather information relevant to the situation at hand. There are two sources for gathering this information: one is internal and the other is external. Internal information includes self-assessment or knowledge of your thoughts on the subject.
External is information that can be found by searching outside knowledge banks like online searches, libraries, and the knowledge of individuals. Make sure you acquire an ample amount of information before you move forward.
Understand your options
In other words, make sure you recognize all alternatives to your favored choices. There are many paths in the decision-making process. Some of these paths lead to the same answer, while others lead in an entirely different direction.
This variance is the reason why all options must be understood beforehand after the information is laid out before you.
Weigh your options
Now that you have gathered information, understood all your alternatives, maybe you can weigh these ideas to find the best one for your situation. Weighing your options allows you to clearly understand the pros and cons of each choice and how this will affect you in the long run.
Visualize your decision making and imagine what would happen if you made each choice, carrying this decision out until the end. Then rate them according to how effective they seem to be.
Making the choice
After you have weighed all options, you can make a quality choice. Take plenty of time before you make this choice and even replay the options as many times as you think necessary in order to make the best decision possible.
This choice may be the one you found to be most effective during the weighing of alternatives section.
Action!
It’s time not to put your plan into action. The decision-making process has led you to this point and gave you a clear blueprint of what should happen. Now’s the time to see how well this worked for you.
Rate and review
After you take action on your situation, you can step back and view the big picture. How well did this decision work for you? Is the problem solved? Do you need to make a different decision or take an alternative route to fix anything?
Just be honest with yourself and accept the results of your decision, good or bad. You can learn from your successes and failures, equally.
How about a free tip?
Here’s a way to tackle decisions that also leaves you more relaxed and focused. Take time each day for meditation which helps increase mindfulness. Being more mindful improves your ability to make effective decisions, options which lead to a healthier mental attitude.
You will have to look at all aspects of your choice and how it affected not only your problem but the people around you. Remember, everything you do affects more than just you and your personal issues – actions have reactions, after all.
Just take your time and make decisions with a sober judgment. This will help you make the best possible choice that you can make.
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