Not everyone knows how to make the right decisions. However, this fundamentally affects the life of any person. If we act rashly, sooner or later we will find ourselves in an unpleasant situation.
In this article, we will look at many tips that will help you make the right decisions and always be in control.
This will be useful not only for psychology enthusiasts but also for everyone who cares about personal development.
Why People Make Bad Decisions
To understand why people make wrong decisions, it’s necessary to consider many factors. Even smart and wise people sometimes make serious mistakes. Here are just a few features that influence making wrong decisions:
- Lack of time
- Reliance on a certain source of information
- Overestimating one’s abilities
- Inability to notice alternative solutions to problems
- Excessive thoughts about the problem
- Stress
- Lack of information
- Fear of making a decision
All these factors play a significant role in decision-making. The more of these factors there are, the harder it is to make the right choice.
By the way, pay attention to cognitive biases and thinking errors, which also greatly affect us.
360-Degree Thinking
Did you know that thoughts influence our feelings, feelings influence decisions, and decisions influence actions? All the links in this chain can be adjusted in their own way.
360-degree thinking consists of three key elements, which are also methods. They help effectively analyze any situation, significantly increasing the chances of making the right decisions.
These elements are:
- Looking into the past
- Foresight
- Insight
Considering these components of thinking, you will be able to analyze your life or actions in a 360-degree view. They work most effectively together.
But let’s take a closer look at all three components.
Looking into the Past
Looking into the past allows a person to reflect on their actions up to the present moment. A person can objectively analyze their actions and understand where mistakes were made.
Honest self-analysis helps to correct errors, understand their causes, and draw the right conclusions. Thus, the individual will try to avoid wrong decisions and strive for perfection.
To start, you can analyze your actions from yesterday by asking yourself the following questions:
- What did I do yesterday?
- What decisions did I make?
- What problems did I encounter?
- How did I solve these problems?
- How well did I manage to handle negative emotions when the problem arose?
- How do I feel about it now?
- From what other perspective can I analyze yesterday’s problems?
- What lesson can I learn from yesterday’s experience?
- How could I have acted differently?
- What should I work on to make the right decision next time in a similar situation?
It’s important to understand that these questions should not be asked superficially but thoughtfully considered. If you approach them seriously, you can extract valuable information that will help you make better decisions in the future.
At the same time, you shouldn’t use the past as a template for future decisions. Each situation is unique. What works today may not be effective tomorrow. The process of self-analysis is useful because it encourages you to reflect on your actions.
Foresight
Foresight allows a person to anticipate their future and predict possible consequences. As a result, they can minimize errors in decision-making. Foresight works well in conjunction with looking into the past.
To have foresight, you need to learn to address potential threats and determine your own needs in advance. This includes planning and gathering useful information to help you in the future. Ask yourself:
- How will this decision affect the future?
- How will it influence my future decisions?
- What consequences might this decision lead to?
- What problems might arise?
- If something goes wrong, how will I react?
- What backup plans do I have?
- What will happen if…?
Foresight is not an exact science but rather increases the chances of making the right decision and avoiding negative consequences.
Insight
Insight is the ability to see the hidden truth. This quality allows a person to better understand people and analyze different situations.
To truly have insight, you should learn to reflect on the past and be foresighted.
Additionally, an individual should read a lot, engage in self-development, be curious, and strive to understand people. It’s important to understand the principles of your thinking and see the essence of things. In some sense, this refers to intuition.
Observe what is happening around and within you. Ask yourself serious questions and maintain critical thinking. For example:
- Why am I doing what I’m doing? What role does it play in my life?
- What do others want, and why is it important to them?
- What is happening and why? What does it mean?
- What is the problem, and how did it arise? Why does it remain a problem?
- Why are circumstances unfolding in this way?
- When did this happen, and why is it important?
- What is the benefit of this information, and how might it influence my opinion?
- What other options exist in these circumstances, and why are they relevant?
- Why did this happen? What are the reasons? What was happening before this? Is there a connection?
- What links these two events, and why are they connected in this way?
- How did this happen? Who is responsible? Could it have happened differently?
By asking yourself these kinds of questions, you can enhance your attentiveness and ultimately become insightful. You will be able to find explanations for why events unfold the way they do and whether another scenario was possible.
Furthermore, you will start pondering over truly important and profound thoughts that perhaps you never considered before.
Thus, using 360-degree thinking, you will be able to examine the situation from all possible angles and make the most appropriate decisions.
The Process of Making Correct Decisions
Understanding the Goal
- What is my goal?
- What exactly do I want to achieve?
- What do I need to achieve this goal?
When a person fails to achieve their goal, they may feel discouraged or even panic. However, it’s important to understand that to realize your ideas, it’s essential to use various methods.
For example, you’ve decided to buy a washing machine, but the range of choices is so vast that it’s overwhelming. In such a case, it would be wise to study the characteristics of the machines and read customer reviews.
From this, it follows that many factors influence making the right decision.
Note what works and what doesn’t. Don’t waste time using obviously ineffective tools, or else you won’t learn to make the right decisions. Consider:
- How will I know I‘m moving in the right direction?
- How will I evaluate my progress?
- How will I know I‘ve implemented my ideas?
The more you understand which stage you’re at, the more correct your decision will be.
Be Flexible
Your actions may change from time to time, which is entirely normal. For this reason, you must learn to be flexible in different circumstances. Ask yourself:
- Ultimately, what do I want to achieve?
- What am I doing right now?
- Are my actions leading towards the goal?
- Can my decisions be considered the best ones?
- What do I need to change to increase the chances of making the right decision?
Don’t panic if you don’t achieve your goal right away. Instead, analyze your actions and look for mistakes.
The Complete Decision-Making Process
Below, we’ll look at the complete decision-making process. It will require more time, but if you need to address a truly important issue, it’s worth it.
Step 1: Gain Clarity
Reflect on how your decision will affect both you and your surroundings. Ponder over these questions:
- What options exist?
- What is the best decision to make?
- Why is it so significant?
- How will it affect the lives of those close to me?
- Could it change my life?
- Do others recognize the importance of this decision?
By analyzing all this, you’ll understand how much effort will be required to implement your ideas.
Step 2: Gather Facts and Explore Options
The more information you gather, the more likely your decision will be correct. This might involve aspects like money, time, or human resources. Ask yourself:
- What decision can I make?
- What actions can I take?
- What alternatives exist?
- What do I need for this?
Step 3: Evaluate Pros and Cons
Now it’s time to consider all the drawbacks and benefits of each decision option. Consider:
- What are the advantages of specific actions?
- What are the disadvantages?
- What are the benefits of one decision over another?
When pondering these questions, consider the sacrifices you’ll have to make in each scenario.
Step 4: Identify the Worst-Case Scenario
Before making a decision, ask yourself, “What is the worst that can happen if I take this step, and how will I deal with the consequences?”
Of course, the worst-case scenario happens very rarely, but it’s worth being prepared for it. Thanks to this, in case of a force majeure situation, you will be able to quickly adapt and make the most appropriate decision in specific circumstances.
Step 5: Learn from Your Experience
Even when a person makes wrong decisions, they can derive benefit and gain experience from it. Mistakes made in the past help improve the future. Ask yourself:
- What did the experience I gained give me?
- What have I learned from how I make decisions?
- Did I manage to achieve my goal?
- Do I take into account the results of past mistakes when facing difficulties?
There are still many questions we should ask ourselves. Don’t be afraid to think critically when making the right decisions, as this is the only way to achieve the best results.