“Great decision-making comes from the ability to create the time and space to think rationally and intelligently about the issue at hand.”– Graham Allcot
Does it often seem that we make decisions, take action and make plans, while focusing on the immediate or short-term benefits that we expect or that could result? Are the potential long-term effects sometimes ignored or maybe not even considered? Does such an approach lead to unwanted and unexpected consequences? In a crisis or unexpected emergency is the short-term solution necessarily the main focus? In non-crisis situations is it, most-often worth assessing the long-term ramifications before proceeding? Can such a pro-active approach delay the process of achieving the short-term goals? Is it often worth taking the time anyway?
Are there times when shifting the focus to the long-term is not productive? In this classic risk-reward judgement what influences the choice of approach?
While such evaluations are obvious in work scenarios or even personal decisions, are they not even more critical when making important life decisions? In choosing careers, life partners and a life purpose would it not be of critical importance to take a long-range view? Yet is it not common for these decisions to be made based on expediencies? Taking a job because of an immediate need for work and income, then riding it out from there as a career, taking the good with the bad. Does this sometimes work out well? Does it sometimes not turn-out so well?
Do we observe the same problems with those who dedicate themselves to a cause or marry without sufficient reflection or understanding of where the decision will lead? The question that begs to be asked is, how do we learn to make critical decisions, even major life decisions? In reality is it usually by trial and error? Do we learn to make good decisions through making bad decisions? Is there a better way? How could it be taught at a young age to supplement the trial-and-error method?
How did you learn to make good decisions? Was it by making bad decisions? Did it work? Was it a slow and painful process? What suggestions would you make to improve that process?
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