My best decision was to quit my job and live in Vancouver for one year. That was in my 30ies (now I’m in my 40ies) and till today I’m proud and thankful that I made that decision.
Absolutely. I think I learned to take some risks. Although I sometimes wait too long (postpone) to make decisions, the thought of that experience helps me take the next step.
I don't have a life-changing decision yet since I'm still quite young,(17) but one of my best decisions has been picking up The Power of Habit my 1st book like i finished it 3 to 4 days ago. It completely changed the way I think about improvement—not by relying on motivation, but by focusing on small, consistent habits. I'm still working on applying those lessons every day, but it's already changed how I approach my goals. Your story is a great reminder that sometimes the biggest growth comes from having the courage to step into uncertainty.
Thanks for that input and reminder. If I learned something about myself it is that I do not always have the motivation to do things. I also believe it’s more about strategies. Like how you get started even if you don’t feel like doing it.
That's exactly what I took away from The Power of Habit too—that motivation is unreliable, but systems and habits can carry you through. The strategy that's helped me the most is making the first step so small that I can't really talk myself out of it. If I want to read, I tell myself I'll read just one page. Most of the time, once I've started, I end up reading much more. For me, starting is usually the hardest part; once I'm in motion, continuing feels much easier. I'm still learning, but that simple strategy has made a real difference. Like if I don't want to do exercise I told myself I will do only 5 minutes but I end up in 45 minutes
This was one of the most practical pieces I've read on decision-making. What really stayed with me wasn't the four decision-making styles themselves, but the idea that they're tools rather than fixed personality traits. I realized I often default to analysis, even in situations where trusting experience or being creative would probably serve me better.
Another point that stood out was that we don't automatically learn from failure—we have to intentionally reflect on it. That's such a simple idea, but I think it's something most of us overlook. It's easy to move on after a bad decision instead of asking, "What exactly did this teach me?"
I also appreciated the section on seeking out people who disagree with us. In a world where it's so easy to surround ourselves with opinions that confirm what we already believe, that reminder felt especially valuable.
Thank you for consistently turning complex research into advice that's practical, memorable, and immediately useful. I'm definitely going to start asking myself, "Which decision-making mode am I using right now, and is it the right one?" I'm curious—has there been a decision in your own life where consciously switching from one decision-making style to another completely changed the outcome?
All four modes here, intuitive, rule-based, analytic, creative, operate at the same level: choosing the right cognitive strategy. Worth adding a check that comes before any of them.
Before deciding how to decide, it's worth asking what's actually underneath the pull to act. Fear, frustration, anger, jealousy versus something closer to genuine care or gratitude. Not whether the decision is smart. What's actually running underneath the impulse to make it.
The four modes tell you how to think about a decision. This tells you whether you're in the right state to be deciding at all.
One of the best decisions I've made was to take a 2-year unpaid sabbatical to sail from Seattle to New Zealand and back (basically a Pacific Ocean circumnavigation) with my husband a couple years ago. I'm so proud of us for accomplishing such a difficult thing. In my work life now I find myself pulling out lessons learned from that odyssey daily.
The spouse/kids/coworkers part is the underrated half of decision-making. We obsess over how to make better choices personally, then ignore the systems that make dumb choices attractive or easy for everyone around us. A lot of 'bad judgment' is really bad defaults wearing a fake mustache.
Thank you for this interesting and edifying article on decision-making. Our decisions have life-changing effects, but I suspect most people have never given a lot of thought to the ways they make them (and almost certainly have not employed strategies, as you suggest here). I took several notes on your article, and I hope to use your tips to help ensure good decisions in my future. For now, I’ll say that I think I generally have made good decisions because my life has worked out pretty well. I’m 58, and I am going to retire next year; I can look back and feel really good about my family, my career, my health, and more. When I make big decisions, I tend to go with intuition, but I think my intuition has been formed through awareness and reflection. Indeed, I have noticed that I frequently go into assessment mode when I make a mistake. If I lose something or hurt myself, for example, I immediately start thinking how to avoid making this mistake again, often setting up rules such as “Always put this item in the same place” and “Never leave those things on the floor.” This strategy has worked well for me, I think.
My best decision was to quit my job and live in Vancouver for one year. That was in my 30ies (now I’m in my 40ies) and till today I’m proud and thankful that I made that decision.
That's inspiring. Looking back now as a psychologist, do you think that year in Vancouver changed the way you make decisions today
Absolutely. I think I learned to take some risks. Although I sometimes wait too long (postpone) to make decisions, the thought of that experience helps me take the next step.
How about you? What was your best decision?
I don't have a life-changing decision yet since I'm still quite young,(17) but one of my best decisions has been picking up The Power of Habit my 1st book like i finished it 3 to 4 days ago. It completely changed the way I think about improvement—not by relying on motivation, but by focusing on small, consistent habits. I'm still working on applying those lessons every day, but it's already changed how I approach my goals. Your story is a great reminder that sometimes the biggest growth comes from having the courage to step into uncertainty.
Thanks for that input and reminder. If I learned something about myself it is that I do not always have the motivation to do things. I also believe it’s more about strategies. Like how you get started even if you don’t feel like doing it.
What is your best strategy to get started?
That's exactly what I took away from The Power of Habit too—that motivation is unreliable, but systems and habits can carry you through. The strategy that's helped me the most is making the first step so small that I can't really talk myself out of it. If I want to read, I tell myself I'll read just one page. Most of the time, once I've started, I end up reading much more. For me, starting is usually the hardest part; once I'm in motion, continuing feels much easier. I'm still learning, but that simple strategy has made a real difference. Like if I don't want to do exercise I told myself I will do only 5 minutes but I end up in 45 minutes
This was one of the most practical pieces I've read on decision-making. What really stayed with me wasn't the four decision-making styles themselves, but the idea that they're tools rather than fixed personality traits. I realized I often default to analysis, even in situations where trusting experience or being creative would probably serve me better.
Another point that stood out was that we don't automatically learn from failure—we have to intentionally reflect on it. That's such a simple idea, but I think it's something most of us overlook. It's easy to move on after a bad decision instead of asking, "What exactly did this teach me?"
I also appreciated the section on seeking out people who disagree with us. In a world where it's so easy to surround ourselves with opinions that confirm what we already believe, that reminder felt especially valuable.
Thank you for consistently turning complex research into advice that's practical, memorable, and immediately useful. I'm definitely going to start asking myself, "Which decision-making mode am I using right now, and is it the right one?" I'm curious—has there been a decision in your own life where consciously switching from one decision-making style to another completely changed the outcome?
Loved this! Great park pick too 😅
Best decision: choosing my husband
Second best decision: Signing up for Mindset Coach Training
All four modes here, intuitive, rule-based, analytic, creative, operate at the same level: choosing the right cognitive strategy. Worth adding a check that comes before any of them.
Before deciding how to decide, it's worth asking what's actually underneath the pull to act. Fear, frustration, anger, jealousy versus something closer to genuine care or gratitude. Not whether the decision is smart. What's actually running underneath the impulse to make it.
The four modes tell you how to think about a decision. This tells you whether you're in the right state to be deciding at all.
One of the best decisions I've made was to take a 2-year unpaid sabbatical to sail from Seattle to New Zealand and back (basically a Pacific Ocean circumnavigation) with my husband a couple years ago. I'm so proud of us for accomplishing such a difficult thing. In my work life now I find myself pulling out lessons learned from that odyssey daily.
The spouse/kids/coworkers part is the underrated half of decision-making. We obsess over how to make better choices personally, then ignore the systems that make dumb choices attractive or easy for everyone around us. A lot of 'bad judgment' is really bad defaults wearing a fake mustache.
Thank you for this interesting and edifying article on decision-making. Our decisions have life-changing effects, but I suspect most people have never given a lot of thought to the ways they make them (and almost certainly have not employed strategies, as you suggest here). I took several notes on your article, and I hope to use your tips to help ensure good decisions in my future. For now, I’ll say that I think I generally have made good decisions because my life has worked out pretty well. I’m 58, and I am going to retire next year; I can look back and feel really good about my family, my career, my health, and more. When I make big decisions, I tend to go with intuition, but I think my intuition has been formed through awareness and reflection. Indeed, I have noticed that I frequently go into assessment mode when I make a mistake. If I lose something or hurt myself, for example, I immediately start thinking how to avoid making this mistake again, often setting up rules such as “Always put this item in the same place” and “Never leave those things on the floor.” This strategy has worked well for me, I think.