5 tips to make good decisions

Mark Manson, author of books on self-development, blogger and entrepreneur, divided tipsHow to make informed decisions and achieve success.

1. Be objective

All important life decisions are somehow related to valuation of financial, emotional, social, intellectual and other property. Must be considered and carefully weigh each. And at the same time take into account not only near but also far into the future.

Analyze one's own values ​​are usually very difficult, because for this we have to be objective.

We tend to prefer short-term rewards and act under the influence of emotions. In addition, we are dependent on existing prejudices and the desire to protect its reputation. It is difficult to discern long-term use of any decision, because there are fears and anxieties that concern us right now. And to them it is difficult to ignore.

emotions complicate things. They would not allow us to admit that we were wrong, and throw that which devoted a lot of time. The problem lies precisely in the wrong prioritization. And to learn how to make the right decisions, you must first honestly admit their mistakes.

Among other things, emotions cause us to avoid short-term difficulties, even if in the long run they may lead to success. However, the main secret of decision-making - is to learn to see the difficulties that ultimately help to succeed.

2. Do not be afraid to lose

You've heard stories about entrepreneurs who have experienced a dozen failures before built a lucrative business.

Sometimes it seems that they just got lucky. But our attention is hiding work with dozens of raw business ideas, each of which has little chance of success, but it promises great benefits. That is, if a business is burned, the entrepreneur will lose quite a bit of money. But if this idea shot - profits will be enormous.

Imagine that you throw two dice. And as soon as they fall out the same number of points, you will get 10,000 dollars. But every throw is worth $ 100. How many times do you have to play? If you are in trouble with the math, you will realize that the probability of winning is quite large. Therefore, you need to try as long as you do not run out of the money.

Most people do not think about the fact that life - a never-ending succession of shots. Even losing something for every attempt, as a result, you can win.

Yes, in this game you are waiting for more failures than victories. But the one prize will exceed all losses - so it's worth it.

This approach can be applied in all areas of life:

• At work. Offer bold ideas, even knowing that 90% of them rejected. And if at least one will appreciate, it will be a powerful impetus for the development of your career.
• In education. Allow your children at an early age encounter difficultyEven if you are sure that they can not cope. If they still turn out, it will give them a huge advantage in the future.
• In personal life. On dates, be bold and straight, without hiding what and whom you want. Be prepared, because of this you will not get away with many people.
• The self-education. Buy a bunch of challenging books, even if you are afraid that most of them will be completely unintelligible and useless to you. And one of them will radically change your life.
• In relations with others. Accept all invitations, knowing that the event or the people present there will be boring and you leave home before anyone else. Once there you will meet someone really important and interesting.

Expecting immediate results, you are depriving themselves of the opportunity to achieve success in the future. The reason why the majority does - all the same emotions. However, they are short-lived and are dictated by the current moment. And it hinders the proper decision-making.

3. Nurture your emotions

If you watch carefully, it can be concluded that the disobedient dogs always bad masters. After all, animal discipline - discipline reflection of its owner. Rarely seen in the normal host dog that smashes house, chewing toilet paper and stain the sofa.

This is because our relationship with the students emotional. Do not know how to cope with their own emotions - not cope with the dog. It's simple.

Emotions - it's the same dog, but she lives in the head. She just wants something and what to eat, sleep, have sex and have fun, but do not think about consequences. And this part of our "I" to work.

This "dog" in our heads is actually able to influence behavior. For example, the mind, we understand that eating ice cream for breakfast - bad idea. But if our "dog" brain wants it, it will be difficult to convince. That's why this part of the mind must constantly educate and train, just like a pet. You have to give yourself the right team to promote itself and to punish. But, of course, sometimes indulge.

4. To reduce future regret to minimum

Psychologists sometimes call rational emotion of regret. Trying to predict the future and to find in it something of what we have to regret, we try to argue rationally.

Making a decision, imagine yourself after the selected one of the options. Try to understand that in this case, makes you feel sorry. Then play the same future again, but imagining that made a different choice. Compare different versions, assessing, in which case you will experience more regret.

This method, first, it is very exciting, and secondly, very effective. But on condition that you have thought through all the options and have all the necessary information that is available to you.

Most of us are afraid to fail or make a serious mistake. But it is enough to ask yourself, "Will I regret it a miss" If the answer is "no", it is the very risk that you need to go.

Similarly, many people like to paint in your imagination a huge success. Ask yourself, "Would I be sorry, if not achieve it?" If you answer "yes", it is necessary to sacrifice something.

Sometimes the right decision is crystal clear, it is necessary only to bring it under these two conditions. It is said that Jeff Bezos quit his high and well paid position for the base Amazon precisely because it was convinced that regret, if in his life at least not try to create something similar. Left on previous work, in any case he would have blamed himself more.

Instead of basing their decisions on the likelihood of success or failure, think about the possible regrets. It is the most accurate indicator of what is truly important to you.

5. Keep a record of all

The best way to distinguish the emotional impulses of reasonable solutions - record.

Express their thoughts on paper - is a simple but very effective way to organize everything spinning in my head.

Vague feelings are structured and understandable. It becomes apparent internal contradictions. A re-reading of written allows you to see your own logic (or lack thereof), and opens up new ideas that you never thought of.

Here's what you can burn to help you make the right decision:

• What are the costs and benefits? The first step is a thorough analysis of what it will gain and lose with each of the options. Not limited to banal list of "pros" and "cons". Make a table of five columns. The column "for" split in half, on a long-term and short-term benefits: you get them, taking a decision. In addition to the arguments "against", add a column for regrets: you can experience them in the future, making a certain choice. In the last column, note if any of the existing option with a small chance of a huge success.
• What motivated your decision? This is the quality that you want to develop in yourself? All the decisions that we take serious and not so one way or another motivated by our faith. Sometimes they are obvious, for example, if the desire to satisfy hunger urges you to eat something. But sometimes things are not so simple when we ourselves can not understand what motivates us, or when the goals intersect with our core values.

Here are examples of questions that you need to ask yourself:

• You buy a new carBecause it really is more profitable and better, or because you want to impress others?
• You are applying for sole custody of the children, because it is actually in their best interest, or you're just trying to take revenge on her ex-husband?
• You are trying to start a business because you inspire difficulties, ups and downs along the way, or you're just jealous of your friends who have their job?

If in the end you find some hidden motives, stop and ask yourself, can help if your intentions are to become who you really want to be.