Mindful Decision Making: How to Make Choices that Align with Your Values and Goals
How do you know if you've made a bad decision?
In the course of making everyday choices, we often come across situations where the only decision is between two options. This happens most often when we need to make choices about our personal goals or how to spend our money. Sometimes, there’s no right or wrong choice and it’s a matter of what you want to focus on.
When you’re choosing between 2 different options, there are usually three main considerations that go into deciding which one is best. They are:
What do I want to accomplish?
What can I afford?
How can I make the best use of my time?
Let’s look at some examples:
Deciding Between Two Options
What do you want to accomplish?
A) I want to save for my retirement.
B) I want to travel to Paris this year.
The first thing you have to do is decide which option is best for you. It’s important to remember that whatever option you choose, there’s always something better to do. For example, if you chose “travel to Paris this year” instead of “save for retirement”, there’s still more money in your savings.
What can I afford?
A) I can afford to travel to Paris this year.
B) I can’t afford to retire for another 20 years.
It’s also important to remember that money is a limited resource, so don’t let it rule your decisions. You have to make choices about how to allocate your money and when. You can always find new ways to make money (be creative!), and your options are never finite.
How can I make the best use of my time?
A) It will take me at least a month to save for retirement.
B) I’m going to travel to Paris in six days.
In these examples, it’s obvious which option to choose. But sometimes, you may feel stuck between two equally compelling options.
Choosing in the Moment
Sometimes, even if you’re sure you want to pursue A, you might not actually want to at that moment.
For example, if you’re working on an important project, you might hesitate to spend your precious time away from it. You might feel like you have to choose between putting off this project for a while or finishing it today.
Here’s how to decide whether or not to choose B.
Take stock of what you really want to accomplish. Is this the right time for this project?
Ask yourself if this is a choice you want to make now, or if you need time to consider it.
If you decide to delay your project, how much time will you need to reflect on your choices?
Are there any additional projects you’ve been