How To Make Decisions

We make decisions every minute, every day, and every hour. Do you ever really think about your decision-making process and how decisions affect your life? We’re very aware when we make major decisions, like which car to buy, where to live or which college to attend. We realize these decisions will have a major impact on our future. But, what about the small decisions we make daily and how they will affect our lives?

Sometimes we make decisions without really considering the effect or outcome of that decision. For example, how much time we spend watching TV, how much we eat, how much time to spend with the family or how much money we spend.

We become very aware of our decision making process when it’s a life-changing “fork in the road” that’s going to have a major impact on our lives. But, do you have a decision making process for the daily choices you make? Do you take time to make a decision? Do you consider all the ramifications for small and large decisions in your life? Are your decisions consistent with or based on a life plan or goal?

The Compound Effect Of Decisions

Darren Hardy, in his book “The Compound Effect” has great insight into this subject.

“For most of us, it’s the frequent, small, and seemingly inconsequential choices that are of grave concern. I’m talking about the decisions you think don’t make any difference at all. It’s the little things that inevitably and predictably derail your success. Whether they’re bone-headed maneuvers, no-biggie behaviors, or are disguised as positive choices (those are especially insidious), these seemingly insignificant decisions can completely throw you off course because you’re not mindful of them. You get overwhelmed, space out, and are unaware of the little actions that take you way off course.
The Compound Effect works, all right. It always works, remember? But in this case it works against you because you’re doing… you’re sleepwalking.

For instance, you inhale a soda and bag of potato chips and suddenly realize only after you polished off the last chip that you blew an entire day of healthy eating—and you weren’t even hungry. You get caught up and lose two hours watching mindless TV—scratch that, let’s give you some credit and make it an educational documentary—before realizing you spaced on preparing for an important presentation to land a valuable client. You blurt out a knee-jerk lie to a loved one for no good reason, when the truth would have worked just fine. What’s going on?

You’ve allowed yourself to make a choice without thinking. And as long as you’re making choices unconsciously, you can’t consciously choose to change that ineffective behavior and turn it into productive habits. It’s time to WAKE UP and make empowering choices.”

The Lasting Effects Of Decisions

As you can see, making small positive daily changes in your behavior and habits will have long lasting compounded effects in your life. In time, you will see the positive results in your health, weight, wealth, or family life. Conversely, if you make small inconsequential negative habits and behaviors in time you will see and feel the negative effects. For example, eat too many calories without exercising eventually you will gain weight. If you spend more money than you earn eventually you may go bankrupt.

Everything you think, talk and do will have a direct affect on your behavior.