Decisions, Decisions: 8 Ways To Get It “Right”

Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

I was called “feral” recently

(she, my flight companion-turned-BF, meant it as a compliment)

!!!

Not sure that’s what I was going for

…

That said I’ve risked everything to get to “I do what I want.”

I don’t mean hedonistic (mostly)

…

I do mean:

1. What feels right instinctively or intuitively
2. That I believe will be good for myself and others
3. Especially in terms of long-term effects

…

Flashback 5+ years ago, I calculated choices, large and small.

Pros and cons.

Rewards and risks.

…

I had serious scarcity mindset.

Maximizing upside, minimizing costs.

Not from greed but from lack of self-trust and fear of going under

Life was a spreadsheet or math problem.

…

Then after years of dutifully maxing out ROTH and 401k

I made “crazy” bets (my prior judgment)

I spent a LOT of my money

Doing “crazy s***”

With low assurance of return.

…

I went from one extreme to the other:

Controlled, composed, calculated, cerebral

(Maximizing my chances of survival)

To choosing from an emotional and even ethereal sense.

…

I face planted a few times (and worse)

And things have by and large worked out OK (and far better)—

I live to live now (versus means to an end)

I know who I am

And my long-term game.

I’m more intentional and directionally correct

I can trust myself in ways I couldn’t

With a clearer, more flexible mind

And stronger nervous system

I make better decisions

I’m more alive and lively

I have higher peaks and a higher baseline

Of excitement, joy and peace

And feel infinitely more secure

…

In doing what I want (holistically)

I have a MUCH better sense of what that is

I dance past analysis paralysis

I dance past crisis of confidence

I dance past stuck and misaligned

…

I’ve done weird, wonderful and “wild” experiments

To find what works (for me personally).

8 ways to choose well:

1. Going with your gut or desire (intuitive/instinctual/energetic)
2. Tuning in or acting it out physically (emotional/visceral/creative)
3. Consulting family, friend(s), colleagues and mentors (social/collaborative)
4. Stream of conscious journaling and voice memos (narrative/symbolic/conceptual)
5. Ontological coaching (philosophical/creative/spiritual)
6. Envisioning the bigger, long-term picture (aspirational/vision-based)
7. Weighing options on key criteria (practical/values-based)
8. Using a point system, decision or strategic framework (analytical)

…

I can still be analytical when I want to be.

It’s an option I’m grateful for.

It’s just not in the driver’s seat

I revived my soul and humanity

…

However you choose to choose

The more you practice

The better the feedback

The more robust your instruments

The clearer you’ll be

The better you’ll get.

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