How I make complex decisions
Created: January 26, 2020 / Updated: January 28, 2020 / Status: finished / 2 min read (~240 words)
How do I make complex decisions?
When I have a decision that requires me to consider a lot of aspects, I've always documented my thoughts. I would first start by writing down all the things that come to mind in relation to this decision: things I want to consider, things I don't want to forget, things that may be difficult to include as part of the decision, etc. I write as much as I can. Then I order the items I've listed by order of importance. What is it in all those ideas that I value the most?
When I've created a few alternative decisions, I evaluate each of the pros and cons. I use my list of importance to determine the solution that best aligns with those values. Oftentimes I will have an acceptable decision, but there will be parts of the decision that will need to be ironed out so that it is a good decision.
I always consider how important the decision is to determine how much time I will spend on that decision. There is no value in optimizing the decisions that have a negligible impact on you, but important decisions can definitely have a long term impact on your life. Note that I didn't say that complex decisions were important decisions. Sometimes complex decisions are not important at all. In that case, it is not worth thinking about this decision for too long.