Every day in our lives, we are faced with situations that put us in decision-making mode. And in our journey through life, each decision becomes a pivotal point, a bridge that connects different experiences. The hardest thing to learn in life, however, is which bridge to cross and which to burn. [1]
How we each approach decision-making moments varies, but it depends on our prior experiences and the values we hold dear. For some, they thoroughly think things through, weighing the risks and rewards before taking a step. Others, guided by intuition and spontaneity, go on a journey without overthinking, trusting that the right bridge will reveal itself as they move forward.
I consider myself to be more meticulous when making my decisions, paying much attention to detail so as to be precise. It may be due to my course of study in engineering in school, which put me in critical-thinking situations for many years. But I'd also like to think that my thought processes were only refined by it, as I have always been like that. More so, it is something you get used to when playing a game like chess for many years.
There are times that I trust my intuition and make decisions based on it, though. One cannot always be thorough in decision-making, as time is also a factor to consider. The speed at which decisions are made can be influenced by the urgency and complexity of the situation.
Time generally affects how I make decisions sometimes. When swift action is necessary, I would have to rely on intuition and previous experiences that I can call on in that moment to reach a desirable result. An example is when I was in a position to lead a march past as a parade commander a few days ago.
We had come up with something simple to perform for Armed Forces Remembrance Day, and we rehearsed that alone for as long as we could. The moment of truth came, but there was no way for us to perform what we had planned, as we never anticipated the obstruction in the way. I called on my years of experience doing the job and circumvented my way to manoeuver the team. That was following intuition, as it was a matter of urgency. Read more about the experience here if you'd like to indulge yourself.
When it comes to making decisions and there is more time to think, you can trust that I will be very critical, especially when I desire high-level precision. It extends to my everyday life.
Making decisions becomes a little more complex with more than just myself involved. When I am responsible for deciding for other people as a leader or something of the sort, I feel more pressure. We tend to blame other people for undesired results, and that usually falls on the decision-makers themselves. Therefore, no one wants to make mistakes.
When I make mistakes with more people involved in my decisions, however, I try not to be too hard on myself, especially because I know I did my best. That allows me to brace through disappointments with my decisions, even if I am the only one involved.
One time, I thought inviting a certain set of people to some conversations with some friends would liven up the meeting, but it was a total failure in the end. The "set of people," although acquaintances dominated the conversations for most of the time, made everyone else feel uncomfortable. Surely, I was infuriated by it, but I looked through how such a thing happened in the first place and realised that it was due to my inadequacy in planning the meetup, and the "set of people" weren't even sure of their roles in the meeting. That experience has taught me to plan better now.
There's an interplay between rationality and intuition in decision-making. With rationality, there is more effectiveness. And with intuition, there is more efficiency. The situation at hand determines how one may approach making decisions. It is why I think it is important for me to hone both rational and intuitive decision-making skills.
Decision-making is a complex and evolving process, and it isn't about finding a one-size-fits-all solution but understanding that each decision adds yet another layer to the intricate tapestry of our lives. And in each moment, the best thing one can do is do the right thing; the worst is doing nothing. [2]
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1 - Quote by David Russell
2 - Quote by Theodore Roosevelt