I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. - Steven Covey
We make hundreds of them everyday without thinking about it but there are some decisions that are harder to make than others.
Have you ever had to make an important decision and had very little time to make it?
Odds are, that left you feeling anxious and seriously stressed out.
This recipe of making a tough call on a tight deadline means we can’t take the time to think things through, or do the research we’d like to help guide us in arriving at a decision. This decision-making pressure cooker environment can also lead to worrying about the fallout of the choice we make.
In a recent Inc. Magazine article, Jeff Steen shares his 5-minute, 4-rung ladder rule as a way to dial down the stress involved with making (and worrying about) tough personal and professional decisions.
Rung #1: Ask two questions
- Will this decision have a measurable or noticeable impact on my people, my company, or society?
- Is this decision time-sensitive?
If the answer to both questions is NO, there is no need to make a hasty decision. You can take time to weight the options and gather more information.
If you answer YES or MAYBE to one of the questions, move to Rung #2.