What is Decision Making?
Decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision maker. Making a decision implies that there are alternative choices to be considered, and in such a case we want not only to identify as many of these alternatives as possible but to choose the one that best fits with our goals, desires, lifestyle, values, and so on.
Decision making is the process of sufficiently reducing uncertainty and doubt about alternatives to allow a reasonable choice to be made from among them. This definition stresses the information gathering function of decision making. It should be noted here that uncertainty is reduced rather than eliminated.
Very few decisions are made with absolute certainty because complete knowledge about all the alternatives is seldom possible. Thus, every decision involves a certain amount of risk. Our destiny is shaped not by the circumstances that come our way, but by the decisions we make. All during the day we make decisions. Sometimes we decide not to decide. The decision not to act is not necessarily the wrong one. It depends on the circumstances. On the one hand we don't want to be rash and act on our impulses without considering the consequences of our actions, and on the other hand we don't want to be indecisive and indefinitely refuse to act, for if we do so, we'll remain in a rut, with no hope for the better in sight. It's a matter of balance. And we arrive at that balance by analyzing our decisions and our motives for those decisions.
Refusing to act until we have ENOUGH information is a wise decision. But refusing to act until we have ALL the information is probably unrealistic. To make the largest gains, try to be decisive. That is, make decisions quickly. For the faster you act, the more time you will have to make more decisions, thereby speeding up your progress. Yet, you will want to balance speed with sufficient time to make thoughtful decisions. For if you act too quickly, you may make mistakes that slow down your progress or even bring it to a halt.
It is prudent to think before we act. Yet, if we refuse to act because we are afraid of making a mistake, we do the very thing we are afraid of becausefailure to act is a mistake. Failure to act is failure to seize an opportunity. Failure to act is failure to grow and improve our lives.
Our task becomes easier when we accept the fact that the decision making process is risky business and we are imperfect. Mistakes are inevitable, but nothing to fear, for they will provide either valuable lessons or delightful surprises.
Making the decision to act is the easy part. Following through on that decision is the crucial part. Be decisive. Don't allow the following contemptuous words of Winston Churchill (1874 ~ 1965) apply to you, "They are decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent."
You are not impotent. You are important. So, claim the prize you deserve by releasing the power you have, and do it today. If we want to change our lives, all we have to do is change our minds! If we want to improve our lives, all we have to do is improve the choices we make. And the remarkable thing is we have the power of choice NOW. It is already in our hands.
Decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision maker. Making a decision implies that there are alternative choices to be considered, and in such a case we want not only to identify as many of these alternatives as possible but to choose the one that best fits with our goals, desires, lifestyle, values, and so on.
Decision making is the process of sufficiently reducing uncertainty and doubt about alternatives to allow a reasonable choice to be made from among them. This definition stresses the information gathering function of decision making. It should be noted here that uncertainty is reduced rather than eliminated.
Very few decisions are made with absolute certainty because complete knowledge about all the alternatives is seldom possible. Thus, every decision involves a certain amount of risk. Our destiny is shaped not by the circumstances that come our way, but by the decisions we make. All during the day we make decisions. Sometimes we decide not to decide. The decision not to act is not necessarily the wrong one. It depends on the circumstances. On the one hand we don't want to be rash and act on our impulses without considering the consequences of our actions, and on the other hand we don't want to be indecisive and indefinitely refuse to act, for if we do so, we'll remain in a rut, with no hope for the better in sight. It's a matter of balance. And we arrive at that balance by analyzing our decisions and our motives for those decisions.
Refusing to act until we have ENOUGH information is a wise decision. But refusing to act until we have ALL the information is probably unrealistic. To make the largest gains, try to be decisive. That is, make decisions quickly. For the faster you act, the more time you will have to make more decisions, thereby speeding up your progress. Yet, you will want to balance speed with sufficient time to make thoughtful decisions. For if you act too quickly, you may make mistakes that slow down your progress or even bring it to a halt.
It is prudent to think before we act. Yet, if we refuse to act because we are afraid of making a mistake, we do the very thing we are afraid of becausefailure to act is a mistake. Failure to act is failure to seize an opportunity. Failure to act is failure to grow and improve our lives.
Our task becomes easier when we accept the fact that the decision making process is risky business and we are imperfect. Mistakes are inevitable, but nothing to fear, for they will provide either valuable lessons or delightful surprises.
Making the decision to act is the easy part. Following through on that decision is the crucial part. Be decisive. Don't allow the following contemptuous words of Winston Churchill (1874 ~ 1965) apply to you, "They are decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent."
You are not impotent. You are important. So, claim the prize you deserve by releasing the power you have, and do it today. If we want to change our lives, all we have to do is change our minds! If we want to improve our lives, all we have to do is improve the choices we make. And the remarkable thing is we have the power of choice NOW. It is already in our hands.
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