How to Make Any Decision in Life Easily
Tags: Mindset Shift, Life Lessons, Life Change, New Ideas, Decision Making

How to Make Any Decision in Life Easily

Concept by Uzy, Photo by Zerbor on Canva Pro

Think about this for a moment: you just graduated from college, and you land two jobs. One job is at a firm at which you’ve dreamed to work your entire life. The second job is at a boring local firm, but it pays more. What do you do?

We have all been in a situation when the right decision was not clear. These situations can change our lives for the better, or the worse. The right choice between a polka dot tie or a striped tie to an interview could change your life. Always choose the polka dot tie (P.S. don’t take this to heart; we all have our opinions).

I have spent a lot of time thinking about what could have been if I had taken a different decision. I have lived in three countries so far, and my life would be completely different if I hadn’t moved when I did. After all this time thinking, I have developed a trick I use to decide something. And once I’ve made up my mind; I have to accept the consequences that follow.

Let’s Take a Look Inside The Brain

I present to you an MRI scan of the brain:

The Brain by Uzy

As you can see, the rational decision-maker and the crazy monkey play a role while making decisions. It’s worth pointing out that the terms used are not made up, and are purely medical. The rational decision-maker in your brain is the dad of your brain. It thinks logically, and let’s be honest, makes dull decisions. The person who starts studying well before an exam uses this part of the brain more. The crazy monkey is the rebellious teenager in your brain. It makes life exciting and fun, and some say it is directly connected to the heart. The person who starts studying the night before the exam uses this part of the brain more.

What Does This All Mean?

One part of the brain thinks rationally, and the other thinks ordering a single french fry at McDonald’s is okay. Imagine being able to use the right part at the right time. Making serious decisions when necessary, and the fun ones when the time comes.

The weight of a decision depends on the people it will affect. Some decisions affect you only, and some affect others as well. Choosing a place to live is easier when you are alone than when you have a family.

Decisions Only Affecting YOU

Check this out! So, your landlord just kicked you out, and you are looking for a new place to live. You are single, and you go to Tufts University. You decide to live in a tree house, and it’s okay. You’re the only person being affected so you can go out and live in a tree house if you so desire. If a decision only affects you, let the crazy monkey in your brain run wild. Whatever you decide, only you will have to deal with the consequences.

Decisions Affecting Others As Well

Your landlord just kicked you out, and you’re looking for a new place to live. You have a wife and two kids, and you work at Analog Devices Inc. It is your deepest desire to live in a tree house. However, you decide to live in a three-bedroom apartment. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. The decision you make also affects your family. Control the crazy monkey in your brain, and try to think rationally. If you make a bad decision, your family will also have to deal with it.

You will have to make many decisions in life. Without a doubt, you will make many wrong ones. However, over time, the right decisions will get clearer and clearer. When you have made up your mind, don’t doubt it, go with it, and be ready to deal with the consequences. One decision has the power to change your life, so think carefully. And remember, the only wrong decision in life is not making one.

References

The rational-decision maker and the crazy monkey analogy was inspired by a Ted talk by Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator (on YouTube). All the ideas presented are my own.