Decisive summary

We often think of our decisions as involving a choice between two options. Indeed, we get stuck much of the time trying to settle on whether or not to do a particular thing. But by thinking about decisions as a simple, binary choice, we usually fail to consider other alternatives. 

When you find yourself getting stuck like this, consider the whole array of alternative options available to you.

We often try to solve a problem by implementing the one option that seems best to us. However, trying out just a couple more can yield much better results.

This is multitracking – or, actively trying out several options simultaneously – and it can improve the decision-making process dramatically.

Sometimes it feels like we’re the first to face a particular problem.

The fact is, however, that what you see as your problem may have already been solved by someone else. You just don’t notice it because their problem is slightly different.

It seems logical that, when making decisions, we choose those options that we like the most. Unfortunately, however, these aren’t always the best decisions.

But though our preferences might bias our decision-making process, there are actually a couple of ways to shake off the influence that our likes and dislikes have on us.

Although we often believe our situation is unique, it benefits us to look at how others in a similar situation have fared. We’re usually more alike than we tend to believe.

You can do this by finding out how a situation like yours usually unfolds. Consider Jack, for example, a brilliant Thai Cook who is considering starting a restaurant. He’s found what he sees as the perfect location on 4th Street, with huge foot traffic and other Thai restaurants close by. This is his inside view.

In many situations it’s wise to dip your toe in the water, rather than dive in headfirst. This process of testing ideas on a small scale is called ooching.

Deciding upon something based on our belief that it will or won’t work is a bad strategy compared to trying it on a smaller scale.

Many of our choices are hijacked by what we believe is important in the moment that we’re faced with them. However, since these are often bad in the long run, here are some techniques for encouraging our brains to consider long-term consequences.

The first is to find emotional distance by imagining the outcomes from a future perspective.

Sometimes our decisions aren’t distracted by short-term emotions, but by an unclear order of priorities in our lives. For instance, even after your initial excitement over a job offer has vanished, you may find yourself stuck in the decision of whether to take it or to stay at your old firm.

The solution here is to find your core priorities. Ask yourself: “Which long-term emotional values, goals or aspirations are most important to me?”

Often we imagine one possible consequence of our actions and base our decisions on that one specific idea of how the future will unfold – even though we have no way of actually predicting the future!

To counter this foolish tendency, you should, firstly, consider both the worst and best possible outcomes, as this will allow you to estimate where you are at a given point, and react when reality moves closer to the worst outcome. To do this, you can use prospective hindsight – the notion that we can cognitively evaluate facts better than possibilities – to your advantage. Ask yourself, “It is one year from now, and we’ve failed. Why?”, rather than “What could happen that would lead to failure?”

When we do a certain thing every day we often don’t notice the gradual changes that, over time, can amount to a drastic situation. Hence, we need a figurative “tripwire”: a signal that makes us aware of our behavior, and, if necessary, prompts us to correct it.

One way to do that is to establish clear signals to interrupt any “autopilot behavior.”