The decisions we make, whether positive or negative, has a tremendous effect.

That is why one needs to weigh all available alternatives with caution, before making an effective decision.

Why do you need steps to follow before making a decision? because it makes decision-making a lot simpler. Deciding without planning usually ends in disaster.

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The steps I will outline below will provide a standard of measurement. When next you make a decision and you follow these steps, they will help you recognize if you are going towards your goal or going further away from it.

Steps for making effective decisions

• 1. Specify the decision to be made. Firstly, you need to define the problem or situation that requires decision-making. It could be something as simple as deciding on a dinner outfit or something as complex as deciding on a career path.
• 2. List out your option. Even if the situation seems limited, try to make a list of possible options. Don’t evaluate at this point, just write what comes to your mind. Whether the idea seems crazy or not, put it down. You can always cross it off the list.
• 3. Go over each option and weigh the outcome. List out every possible outcome for each option, whether it be negative or positive, put it down. Is the outcome worth it? Would you be able to forgive yourself after that kind of outcome? Answer all these questions before moving to the next step in making your decision
• 4. Talk with your intuition. Imagine your ideal self, what would he or she think of this decision? If he or she wouldn’t, what would they have done differently? Picture every outcome in steps 3 and grade which of them you felt proudest of. Which of the outcomes made you feel like a better person?
• 5. Make a choice. Yes, this is the hardest step. You must be ready to accept whatever comes out of your choice from those decisions. You should be ready to bear the responsibilities.
• 6. Execute your decisions joyfully. Don’t drain yourself thinking about the other options you could have gone with. Go ahead and implement your decision with joy.
• 7. Evaluate your decision. This is the most important step. If you don’t take time to go over your decision, you won’t learn valuable lessons from it. Ask yourself feel questions. Was the result you got expected? Would you make this same decision again? Draw wisdom from the decision you have made.

In conclusion, always weigh the pros and cons before making any decision. Follow these seven steps closely for effective decision-making.