How We Can Make Better Decisions in Life

Learn how to reduce bad decisions for a better outcome

Have you ever used the phrase “in hindsight…”

In many events that had happened and may have caused you a loss, you began to reflect, and you realised that you should have done this or that, in hindsight.

Have you ever honestly asked yourself a funny question: if you could go back in time, would you still commit the same mistakes?

Scams

The truth is that life is a learning process in that we have lots of information to process. Sometimes, we cannot tell the truth from a lie. Maybe we were given time pressure in addition to wrong information. That’s how anyone can fall for a scam.

If the same information is given to you today, will you still fall for it?

Investments

You had gotten all the facts, but the markets moved in the opposite direction from what you had predicted. You made a poor judgement and suffered losses.

Is your decision still the same if the same scenario shows up today?

Relationships

Some people fell in love and got married soon after. Everything seemed fine. At least for a while. The relationship drifted and soured as time passed, and there was a need for separation.

Will they make the same decisions if they can live life again?

What is really “in hindsight” is sometimes relatively meaningless because if presented with the same situation, it may still result in the same outcome.

To reduce the possibility of a wrong decision, these are my suggestions:

1. When involved mentally and physically in any endeavour, making an objective decision may be difficult. However, a person close to you and who cares for you may give you a more objective opinion.

You may not welcome this opinion because you have already decided. However, if you had paid attention to the advice, you may have saved yourself from some troubles.

2. To make better decisions, we must give ourselves time and space to think through the facts. Often this is not easy to follow due to time pressures.

If you can leave the proposal and return to it when you are less emotional or involved, your decision will likely be more rational and objective.

3. If your decision involves a considerable sum of money or is significant, consult with more than one person. What you want is the opinion of others who are not involved emotionally in the decision-making.

You will still be the final person who decides, but the views received may illuminate a “blind spot” in your consideration.

In summary, we cannot make all the right decisions in life’s journey. It is already beneficial if we can have fewer wrong decisions.

To make better choices, we always need time, plenty of time.

Thank you for reading. Here are more of my writings: