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Today I want to share with you what connections this idea triggered in my mind.
I read a lot about decision-making and I strongly believe it’s worth making the effort to improve at it. However, this doesn’t mean that making excellent decisions will solve the issues we come across in our lives.
Decisions are not solutions.
A wise, well-timed decision can solve a problem but not every problem can be resolved through decision-making.
Here’s how I see these two ideas working together:
Decisions are steps to solving a problem.
You can use your choices to track your progress, understand what triggers you, and cultivate objectivity.
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"Understand that most problems are a good sign. Problems indicate that progress is being made, wheels are turning, you are moving toward your goals. Beware when you have no problems. Then you've really got a problem. Problems are like landmarks of progress."
Scott Alexander (1976 - ), British Millionaire and Socialite
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When you make decisions, you naturally focus on breaking down your problem into elements you can understand better.
Asking better questions to make wise choices also helps you uncover potential solutions to your problem. This is how you gain clarity about when and how to act.
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"If you do not ask the right questions, you do not get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its own answer. Asking questions is the A-B-C of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems."
Edward Hodnett (1871 - 1962), British Poet
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Decisions help you get better at analyzing your problems.
Use decision trees to understand your problem’s context and implications. This model is incredibly useful, especially for complex projects.
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"The possible solutions to a given problem emerge as the leaves of a tree, each node representing a point of deliberation and decision."
Niklaus Wirth (1934 - ), Programming language designer
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Decisions push you to act with intent so you don’t pussyfoot* around difficult problems.
Stop avoiding problems and start fixing them. Indecision and inaction will not magically solve anything (although sometimes it helps to pause and reflect a bit).
*I’ve always wanted to use this word! :)) My dear Romanian readers, I hope you can join me in being silly together.
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"Solve it. Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the face, and then you can solve it right. Lying dead in the water and doing nothing is a comfortable alternative because it is without risk, but it is an absolutely fatal way to manage a business."
Thomas J. Watson (1874 - 1956), Industrialist, Former President of IBM
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Staged, deliberate decisions build confidence and save you time and unnecessary stress spent on going around problems.
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"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."
Amelia Earhart (1897 - missing 1937), American Aviation Pioneer and Author
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Decisions help you cultivate foresight.
The more self-aware you become and the better you understand human psychology and your environment, the stronger you get at anticipating and preventing crises.
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"The biggest problem in the world could have been solved when it was small."
Witter Bynner (1881 - 1968), American Poet and Author
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What I find rewarding about these ideas is that they’ve helped me amplify my mental capacity, improve my relationships, and create opportunities to talk to wonderful people I look up to.
One of these people is Kaleigh Moore, one of the best content writers in the biz and a professional freelancer I deeply admire.
In fact, I just published our conversation as the 14th episode of the How do you know? Podcast!
It’s high-energy and packed with practical advice Kaleigh shared on everything from her daily routine, to her planning process, her community involvement, and her learning tactics.
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I’m off to prepare my presentation for Ladies in Cybersecurity, so have a fantastic weekend and don’t forget to email me with feedback if you ever have any!
Cheerfully yours,
Andra
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