HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS: START MAKING BETTER DECISIONS

How would you rate your decision-making ability on a scale of one to ten?

If you are a skilled decision maker then you should stop reading this article.  But if you rated yourself low on the scale then this article has useful information.

Some people are gifted with the ability to make wise decisions.  Those people who were no so fortunate must learn the skill.

Decision making is a very important skill.  We are where we are because of the decisions we have made.

Instead of trying to go from bad to best in one leap start by striving for better. If we commit to consistently better results then we will achieve best.

The first step toward making better decisions is to stop proceeding with a poor decision. Stop doing what you are doing and find a better way. If you are going on a trip and suddenly realized that you were going in the wrong direction, what would you do? Stop. Figure out which direction to go then go in the right direction. Why then should we not apply that same approach to all facets of our life?

The ancient Chinese had a saying for this: "if you want a cup of hot tea you must first empty the cup."

Why do we keep doing what we know does not work? The comfort zone feeels like a safe place. Status quo is a painful, but familiar place. It is the path of least resistance.  Successful people do not live in the comfort zone.

Ask yourself two questions and base all your decisions on the answers to these questions.

Question one: Am I meeting the real need, informing myself of options, and Thinking it through?

Question two: Is this something I merely want or really need?


A want is a wish. A want implies immediate gratification (short term).

A need is a necessity. A need implies delayed gratification (long term).

Focus on the real need. Always take care of the need first. Then you can take care of your wants.

Focusing is seeing the needed results so clearly that you don't let anything else distract you-seeing the results so clearly that you can sense yourself already achieving them. You focus by saying no to whatever doesn't help you achieve the real need and yes only to what does.

Decisive people clearly know what the real need is, so they can quickly judge whether or not a specific decision will support or undermine what they need.


Are you taking care of the real need?  Pursue the real need until you achieve it! 

It may seem like a slow process, but it takes less time to make a better decision than it does to correct a poor decision.  In our fear-frozen minds we sometimes think we have no other choice. It is merely a sign that our fear has paralyzed us.

We must strive to be aware of our options AT ALL TIMES.
 
One way to be aware is by personal observation. If you want to know more notice more.

Fear can sometimes fog our vision. One piece of information leads to another: like links in a chain. Where do you think you are more apt to see your options: Isolated in your own thoughts or by gathering information? Information is more than facts. It is how people feel about the facts.

"I don't have any choice" really means that you are not doing enough to see your options. You should be busy gathering information. Be a gatherer of information-even if you don't want to.  Gathering information is a vital need.  Needs must be acted on.   This thinking must be part of system programming.  Learn to see the details of each option.  Look at the option from all sides.  Use 3-dimensional observation. Ask yourself "what if?"  And develop and answer for the question.  Repeat the question: what if?

Do you have the information you need?

Who has it?

Where is it?

What is the best way to get it?

Have you verified it?

Thinking It Through
Reflect on your past results.
Remember the saying: "those who forget the past are condemned to re-live it".
We re-live the past because we do not understand the true function of history -- that of teacher.
Our past experience is the best teacher of all. History -- past results -- show us the errors in judgments we have made.

We can analyze our previous decisions in the light of new enlightenment and see clearly where our mistakes were, then work to correct our mistakes.

Think ahead, anticipate, plan, and act.