Advanced Decision Making

Sometimes we face a decision to let go of a comfortable status quo, in order to achieve an even better future. Think of the decision to leave a well-paid and interesting corporate job and start an uncertain, but more exiting business. This type of decisions can be paralyzing. 

A powerful and practical approach to make better decisions is to create an advanced decision making list. This is how it works:

• Write down specifically what the deviation from the status quo would provide. For example: To start a new business in the field of internet security, which grows to a revenue of 1M$ within five years.
• Next, define all the critical elements which need to happen before comfortably taking the decision to abandon the status quo. For example:
  • I need two years of cash flow in the bank.
  • I need two paying customers.
  • I need to have published a book about the subject.
  • etc.
• Make every single item on this list a separate goal. Start to work on these goals.
• Once you have achieved all these goals, go back to the advanced decision making list to ensure all is done.
• You’re now ready to take the plunge and you will notice that the decision, which once was excruciatingly difficult, now has become effortless.

This simple, but powerful approach will take most of the fear, anxiety, and stress out of taking critical decisions. In this way, you can focus on what really matters: To put your energy into making your new endeavor a great success. 

Photo Credit: iStockPhoto/AndreyPopov