need advice for navigating big decisions
not sure if anyone else feels this way, but the way I navigate a lot of my big decision making is by researching all of my options and organizing them into lists and charts. I have a spreadsheet for each of my major decisions such as which universities I should apply for, how should I budget to afford a long vacation, and what apartment to stay at while in grad school. I worry this may be obsessive, but it’s how my brain keeps itself organized.
usually these charts and sheets keep me calm, but lately, anxiety has been bringing an itch I can’t scratch: what if, despite all my research and efforts, I still choose wrong?
maybe it’s because I’m in my twenties and I haven’t lived enough life to know for a fact that I can recover from making a poor decision, or maybe it’s just the fear of the worst outcome despite me doing everything to prevent it.
does anyone else feel this way? is there any advice for how to work with my anxiety through these big life moments?
@onesmallduck
Hi 😊 I think that making the lists of pros and cons are not a bad idea 😊
Obviously, as long as you are not too obsessed with the paper version of the lists - I believe they are to organise and refresh your insight, not to make your mind too dependant on the spreadsheets.
One of the important things, I believe - which was reminded here on the forum recently - is the Pareto rule: that only 20% of factors may produce 80% of the results (so the remaining 80% of factors might be neglectable).
Your priorities can be also important, because one priority may sometimes outweight a dozen smaller things. Like according to the rule: first things first.
What is coming (not necessarily, because it also depends on your sensitivity) with your age and experience is your intuition or "gut feeling". That can give you the freedom of saying: "Let's take the option A" despite the fact that option C or D looked more logical according to the table.
It is like trying to rent a flat: the price is good, the location is OK, but your decision is "no", because of the strange smell in the room or the owner not looking like a trustworthy person.
I hope it helps...
