Four Steps to Making Important Life Decisions

Life is full of choices, and they are what define the course our journey takes. We are faced with tough decisions at all important milestones in our lives. For instance, choosing the right career is a dilemma for many students. As we grow up, finding the right job becomes another major decision to be taken. Other decisions and choices include marriage, raising children, moving to other places for work or education, etc.

A lot of times, we get stuck between these options and find ourselves unable to make a choice. It may seem like there’s no way out, however, there is, in fact, away. When a dilemma clouds your mind, there are a few techniques that can help you arrive at an informed decision, or at least present the facts before you practice. That’s what this article is all about; some ways to make taking life-altering decisions easy. Let’s take a look.

Research – Weigh Out the Pros and Cons

There is a lot of information available on the internet. When there is absolutely no dearth of know-how that you can use to make your choice, it becomes much easier. For example, say you are looking at two postgraduate courses in Universities abroad. You have 2 offers – Finance and Marketing. You are interested in both and have studied them as well. How would you choose?

Check the curriculum for both courses. Then check the institute’s ranking and placement history. Next would be the fees. And on the course front, you could check the average employability rate in that country. You would also check average salaries for freshers and slightly experienced candidates, the risks associated with both profiles in terms of employment (like lay-off statistics), and then opt for the more secure option. Almost all institutions also have third-party reviews – alumni or parents – who would give their views on whether the place is worth it or not. Check various sites for these reviews. You can also get in touch with the alumni and find out how they rate their experience.

Write Down Your Options

Once you have all the information, jot it down on a piece of paper. Mind you, so much data is hard to remember all at once when you really need to sit and deliberate over it. When you get things down on paper, visualizing them and making a comparison is always easier. It is true that you have probably weighed out the options in your mind and know all there is to know about them; but at the time of making a comparison, things sometimes don’t pop into the mind immediately. Write everything down – you may feel that something is not important enough to be noted, but, when it finally comes to making the decision, every small thing counts. When you are very involved in a situation, it is best to have it on paper beforehand so that you can get a clear picture.

Talk to Someone

It is always great to get a personal opinion from somebody who is more experienced or wiser. A lot of new parents read up on books, guides, and endless articles on how to raise children well. But at the end of the day, our own parents, aunts, grandparents, are the ultimate advice-givers and helpers. You may feel that their views are old –fashioned, but they are already experienced and possess years of wisdom to impart. And there is also the issue of trust; talking to someone whom you trust will make your decision-making process easier. There are plenty of professional counselors out there as well; these people have experience in helping us cope with major, life-altering decisions and the feelings that come with it. Talking to a counselor could also help you get a perspective on things.

Do You Really Want to Do It? Decide

This is really the final question, and the last consideration to be made. Do you really want to do it? Are you comfortable with that decision? Are you sure about that course, or saying yes to that person for marriage, or opting to quit your job instead of going abroad? Don’t settle for one thing because you need to choose something. There is always the option of exploring something different altogether. It doesn’t have to be the better of the two. Settling isn’t an option. So if you are not convinced about either of your options, just chuck them and start afresh. The intention is your happiness and satisfaction, with as few regrets as possible. It helps to give the thought some time and revisit it after a few days. You may be able to see it in a new light, and this can help you make a wiser decision.

Parting Thoughts

So there you have it, some steps to ease your dilemma. Just remember that when you decide on something, there will be doubts, questions, and insecurities. That is human nature. Hence, it is important to be completely informed, or else extremely firm in your conviction. Either way, once you choose, just do it.

Claudia Corina Cejas for Digital Communication CCC