DECISION MAKING: Effective Decision Making Strategies & Steps in Decision Making Process

Let's start with a definition of decision-making. Selecting decisions is exactly what it sounds like: the act or process of making choices. We make logical decisions on occasion, but we also make emotional, irrational, and perplexing ones on a regular basis.

Every day, we are confronted with events that force us to make decisions. Some of these decisions are simple, while others might be challenging. Simple decisions include things like what to wear; most individuals choose what to wear based on the season of the year, the weather of the day, and where they plan to go. Other simple decisions include what to eat, which movie to see, and which television shows to watch.

The most difficult decisions appear to be those that need a higher level of thought. Things like where to go to college, what job route to take, and whether or not to marry and establish a family are examples of difficult decisions. These decisions are difficult because they affect our entire lives; they form who we are and how we will live in the future.

Good decision-making is a skill that must be taught. It is not something we are born with, but rather a step-by-step process that is usually learned via life experience. Most adults are aware that experience is a costly, ineffective teacher who teaches more bad habits than good; and because decisions differ so dramatically from one situation to the next, the experience gained from making one important decision is frequently of little or no use when faced with a new decision-making challenge.