Life is filled with a series of choices. In fact, life itself is an outcome of people’s decisions. Some decisions are easy to make, while some are not. Ultimately, every choice an individual makes affects their own life and reverberates on their surroundings, the people, and the environment. Author Walter Hoge in his book, Easter: McEaster Valley, talks about the significance of decision-making. Walter encourages his readers to make decisions based on the events in their lives, sort of as learning from experience, and not just making decisions based on impulsive whims or desires.
How to Make Good Decisions
Oftentimes, people make decisions or choices on the go. It is not difficult making a choice, but there is a matter of making a good choice or making a bad choice. What also complicates decision-making is when a person is stressed out, pressured, tired, or distracted. People who are not in the right state of overall well-being, meaning calm, relaxed, healthy, and happy, usually end up making bad decisions. Walter Hoge elaborates on how people will know that they are making the right decisions. Right decisions are connected with warmth and peace, and the feelings of fears and anxieties melt away.
Don’t let fear and stress get in the way
It is usually when a person is about to make a tough decision when they get rattled out, stressed, or anxious. And when they give in to the fear and stress, their thinking and judgment process gets all muddled up, resulting in making a bad decision. Learning how to manage stress and anxiety is one way to make a decision. Learn how to relax and calm the day. When cornered and pressured into making a decision, step back for a minute if it’s becoming too much. Do something different or something relaxing. Eat right and healthily. Take a quick nap. Do yoga. Meditate. Talk with friends about everything and anything under the sun, and stop thinking about the problem. A relaxed and calm mind can surprisingly see things from a different perspective, leading to better judgment and better choices.
Considering goals and values
More like keeping the eyes on the goal. There are a lot of noises and distractions around that often hinder the decision-making process of an individual. The trick here is to stay focused, keep the eyes focused on the goal, or remember why a decision needs to be made. Values are also essential elements in the decision-making process. These values are the individual’s beliefs, what they believe to be right or wrong. Values are necessary to keep a person grounded. Without it, a person would be lost in the sea of opinions, never knowing if their belief system has any worth at all or not. These values are also what give identity to the person. So, if a decision is made rooted in a value, then that decision represents who and what the decision-maker is all about.
Consider all sides and all given information
It is always best to gather all necessary information and consider all sides to a problem before coming up with a decision. This ensures that the decision was made fair and square and that all were considered. Sometimes, coming up with a decision also entails asking for opinions from appropriate people or seeking professionals’ or experts’ help. Asking for advice or help would project someone as a fair and respectful person, a plus point in becoming a good decision-maker.
Life is made up of choices. Whatever the outcome, good or bad, is a result of how people make decisions in their lives. There are some choices that are easy to make, and there are some decisions that are difficult to make. Although there is no hard and fast rule on making a decision, certain essential elements must be followed if a person wants to become a good decision-maker. As author Walter Hoge wanted to reach out, a good decision is not based on whims and desire. A good decision-maker is all about practicing the right habits, doing each habit one day or one step at a time, or taking baby steps toward becoming a person making the right choices.
Read all about Walter Hoge’s tale in Easter: McEaster Valley. Grab a copy of his book on Amazon, or visit the author’s website.