{BONUS} How to Make "Good" Decisions - A Framework

Use this framework for making your next big (or medium sized) decision…

Decision Making Framework:

1. Do you have all the information?

2. Are you the only person that is involved in this decision?

3. When do you want to make this decision?

4. What are ALL the options? Narrow down to 2-3

1. For each option, what are the reasons you WOULD choose it
2. Go through reasons and circle the ones you love 
3. Which has the most options you love? Choose that!
4. Notice fear that comes up for that choice

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Transcript

 Hi, if we haven't met yet, I'm Paula Parker, owner and coach within Mindful Shape, and I wanted to offer you a special little special treat today as a coach. A big part of my job is helping my clients make. Decisions both big and small. And so what I wanted to do is offer you a decision making framework that you can really use for anything.

So this is a tool that I use and I even help my husband use to make any big decisions around work or just really any decision that you have to make. Of course, my program shape shift starts soon, so it's no. Um, coincidence that I'm offering this right now because I really wanna help you feel clear about a decision moving forward, whether you join us, which would be amazing, or you decide now is not the time.

I want you to feel really good about either decision and I feel like this framework will really help. To that end. So as a reminder, Shape Shift closes at the end of day Friday, so five o'clock Pacific time. So hopefully as I run you through this framework, it will help. So I'll use this as an example, but really you can use any, you can use this framework for any decision that you have.

So the first question is, do I have all of the information? If not, how will you get it? Of course, you can click on any of the links in this email. If you are looking for more information about shapeshift, you can go to the website. You can also book a call with me and just chat. We can spend 15 minutes just talking about your specific situation to see if it's going to be a good fit.

Number two is, are you the only person involved in this decision making? So do you have a partner that you share finances with that needs to be consulted? This is something that you wanna consider. Now, I know that when I talk to my husband about things, I typically need to be clear in my own mind that yes, I really wanna do this because I know that.

Doubt, anxiety. They're very contagious, right? Especially when it comes to money stuff. So what I suggest is that you go through this framework first, and then if you feel solid, then you bring it to your partner. But if you're feeling a little bit murky about it, just wanna get clear on that first before you bring it to your partner, because they are gonna pick up on any of that doubt or uncertainty, and they just might not be on board and it might not be a clean decision for you.

Might be a little bit murky. So just something to consider there. But you know your relationship best. You have evidence for how you have made decisions together as the, in the past. I'm just telling you like what can happen in these kinds of situations. Typically, it's better to be clear yourself first.

Number three is when do I want to make this decision? So in some cases, like with Shape Shift, there's a end date, so you need to make the decision by end of day Friday. But for most decisions in life are oftentimes there is no deadline and. It can be helpful to create a self-imposed deadline. Why? Because being in indecision siphons your energy when you are not clear, when you're waffling, when you're still feeling indecisive.

It's like an energy drain, and so you want to be as clear as possible and be decisive and take action to move your life forward. So if there's a decision that doesn't need to be made. Perhaps you decide I'm gonna make this decision within 48 hours, or I'm going to make this decision in two weeks.

Number four is, what are all of the options? If there are more than say, three options, I want you to narrow it down to two to three. Next for each option you wanna make a list of what are all of the reasons I would. Choose this so they can be big, they can be small. Every single reason that you can think of, write it down for why you would choose that option.

Now I want you to go through your entire list of reasons and circle the ones that you love. Now, if you were a numbers person, you could even rate it between one and three. Three being like, I absolutely love this. Reason two is like whatever, and one is like, it's not that big of a reason, go through all of your reasons and just see, okay, which option did I circle them most? Or which option has the most points, then you will see, okay, this is the option that I quote unquote, should choose using this process.

Now notice what comes up. Oftentimes there is fear around making that choice or going forward with that option. This is what you wanna really pay attention to. It's likely the reason why you haven't been able to make the decision up until this point.

Most people's hesitation about moving forward with anything is, especially a program like a coaching program, is that they are afraid that they will spend the time, the money, the effort, and most importantly, their hope. They'll put all of that on the line and then they won't get what they want. That's the human condition is to keep us safe and protected because we are prediction machines.

So we look at what we've been able to do in the past, and then we map that onto our future.

If we don't have any evidence, our brains will tell us we can't do it, and the future will be the same and it will, unless we start making decisions differently. So instead of making decisions from a fearful place like this might not work or, I don't know if I can do it,

Get into the energy of, but what if it did so? Best case scenario for all of your options. Which would you choose? Which would be the most fun based on your values? For me, fun is a big value, but for you, it might be something else. This is why we need coaching, because when it comes to your goal, your brain is going to want to go back to the same old story, which is, this is too hard.

Ugh. It's not that important. I can't do it.

This probably won't work. So if we were to work together, if you were to join the program, for instance, then we are going to be coaching your brain the entire time on seeing where there is progress. Making sure your strategy is sound. You have some clear thinking that's going into your strategy. And then third, learning how to tap into that energy, into that wellspring of determination and commitment.

That's how you take actions going forward. What would it be like for you to actually achieve your goal? What would be different? How would you feel in your body? That's the place that we wanna be tapping into on a regular basis.

That's why we're gonna be doing weekly calls so that you have a time and space to continue to get used to tapping into. Realm of possibility of stepping into that new identity, the version of you who is capable of achieving the goal and is also capable of holding onto that goal, maintaining it. 

Okay, take care. Bye.