Building your decision making skills

The process of making decisions is a skill that can be developed and learned like any other skill. By practicing the critical thinking that is necessary to make complex decisions, you will become better at making all decisions. By learning how to make good decisions, you will avoid mistakes and get rid of blocks to reaching your true purpose and aim. To make good decisions consider the following: Know your values -- To make good decisions, you must know the values that are important to you. If you are self aware enough to know your personal values -- which is necessary to leading a thriving life of clarity, purpose, and success -- the decision-making process will become simpler. Know your options -- Make a list of the options available to you depending upon the decision you're trying to make. List them all even if you do not like them. During your list making do not judge. Once you are done with your list, and only then, may you toss out the ones that do not match your values and concentrate only on the ones that do match your values. Know the probable outcomes -- Visualize and imagine using your logic and intellect what the probable outcomes will be for each of the above options. After a thorough consideration of all your options and their outcomes, if the outcomes do not match your values toss them out too. Know your gut -- Lastly, you have inner intuition or an inner voice that just knows the right answer. If you are listening to the leader inside you, then you can come to the right decision a lot faster because you will simply know. Making good decisions requires patience and careful thought about your values, your options, and whether or not the two match. By allowing yourself to take the time to make good decisions, you create a situation where you will live a thriving life full of promise.