3 Tips to Tackle Decision Paralysis (Part 2)

Read Part 1 here

2. Don't delay the decision.

Decision paralysis can trigger people’s procrastination tendencies. When we feel underconfident while making a decision, we often postpone the ordeal altogether.

It is for this reason that author James Clear, whose expertise lies in habit formation and decision-making, advises us to make important decisions even when we don’t feel qualified or confident enough to make them. We need to start before we feel ready to ensure that we actually embark on the journey.

Learning and reiteration can happen along the way, but it is action and not thought that predicts success or failure.

3. Consult your values.

Feeling conflicted can bring decision-making to a screeching halt. In such situations, research published in the Journal of Research in Personality suggests that you should strive to "ego-align" your decisions.

Ego alignment refers to the connection between an individual’s ability to know what is expected of them and what feels like the "correct" action in pressing situations. Psychologist Michael Robinson, of North Dakota State University, explains the benefits of ego-aligning your decisions:

Individuals who have high levels of ego-alignment are likely to live better and less conflicted lives. By contrast, misaligned individuals are essentially working at cross purposes. They act in ways that they, themselves, know to be problematic. This is a more id-like mode of existence.

Ego-aligned decision-making can have two important benefits on a person’s life:

1. It equips people to make decisions that are unpleasant in the short run but have long-term benefits.

2. Due to its focus on problem-solving, it makes tackling difficult decisions a less aversive process.

Conclusion

Making better decisions, in most cases, is not about superhuman intelligence. Instead, one must work on resilience, integrity, and self-awareness to become a better decision-maker.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202301/3-tips-to-tackle-decision-paralysis

Which factors you believe would play a significant role to improve our decision making ability?

#Decisions #CognitiveFunctions #Personality