Do you have a "process" for making difficult decisions?

it depends on the decision. I try to look at the various factors, and then I go with either my head or my heart, whatever seems most appropriate for that decision.

Once made, I consider that I made the best decision I could at the time with the information I had. I do not spend time regretting them. If I need to change them, I do.

I am a quick decider. I usually go with my initial gut instinct. It has served me pretty well.

For difficult and complex decsions, here is the process I use (from Kepner Tregoe)

First, decide on the criteria you will use to make the decision. There are Musts and there are Wants.

For example, you need to buy a car. Musts might be: has to cost less than $10,000, gas mileage better than 30mpg, has to seat my family of four, not red. A must is a must and anything you consider has to pass all the Musts.

Wants are things that would be nice, but are not mandatory: CD player, cruise control, sporty, fast, automatic not stick, etc.

Then you look for alternatives, different cars in this example. You look at a bunch of alternatives and many fail the Musts. Those that pass all the Musts are then checked off against the Wants.

As you go through the process of looking at alternatives, new Musts and Wants are discovered and put onto the lists.

www.hunch.com

No, no process – some options, some trusted people to ask and then the rule is once I make the decision, I stick to it, no regrets.

Agree with @Judi, i usually go with my gut instinct. It does depend though. In some cases I think of the best and worst case scenarios and that tends to help, even though sometimes I take it a bit too far maybe.

I’m actually looking into getting married to solve this decision making problem…

I take so long to even narrow down decisions, that by the time it comes to deciding, my mind is already made up.

I just mull things over for awhile, then one day I just decide. To others I seem impulsive, but I’m really not.

This last primary election was the first time I ever felt wishy washy about a voting decision. I am happy with my primary vote (He did win though) but I would have been just as happy had Hillary won. I really spent a couple of months talking and seeking on that one. It was a strange feeling.

Yeah, it’s called get your head out of your ass Cat and think like the intelligent human being you are instead of being frazzled by the difficult decision, then the answer usually comes.

I tend to research the issue and learn as much as I can about it, so I can make an educated choice. Sometimes the research isn’t conclusive, so my wife and I talk it over and come to a consensus. Sometimes it takes a long time. Sometimes it happens quickly. Sometimes intuition comes into play, but not usually. We’ve been doing pretty well with this method. It’s when we get away from it, and make more emotional decisions that we get into trouble.

Stewing and stewing. Then often I will wake up in the middle of the night with a clear idea of the solution to the problem.

I think about it for a while, then push it to the back of my mind. I repeat that process a few times. When I don’t think I’m thinking about it, I’m still sort of processing it. Then suddenly I just know what to do.

@Supacase: But what about when you don’t?

I do start making lists and then try to regulate my eating and sleeping for a few days to get into the best mindset possible to make a decision that’s usually going to hurt me more than anyone else. In addition to the lists, I’ll often have an out loud conversation with myself, asking then answering questions or addressing topics, feeling myself out to what really gets me emotional so I can cross out and leave out any peripheral fluff, cut to the heart of the matter.

I don’t have a conscious “process” other than being clear about my own expectations and goals, and how this situation fits or does not fit.

T charts for the win!