SITUATIONs CHANGE DECISIONs DECIDE

Situations are the circumstances we find ourselves in - often unchosen. A decision is a choice we make after weighing possibilities.

Fair to say life is determined by the decisions we make. With so many options available to us, making decisions can sometimes feel daunting or confusing.

Infants begin making rudimentary, preference-based decisions almost immediately. More structured decision-making develops between 6 and 18 months as they explore their environment. Thereafter, big and small decisions continue through life.

Most of us do not think much about how we make our decisions but take pride making decisions all the time and less wisely. A simple example of our wrongful decisions in choices we make is of our dietary needs. It is estimated to cause 11 million deaths annually. To eat food that effectively balances one’s short-term happiness and in keeping understanding of long-term health with ageing is the choice of a good decision.

Not having the best of situations is often our condition, but decisions taken well have the power to change a situation. When decision-making is left to chance, many fail to develop it. Learning it deliberately – through parents and education systems builds the foundation, while reflection and lived experiences strengthen it over time. 

Decision Education is the teaching and learning of skilful judgement formation and decision making. There are multiple fields in sciences and humanities demonstrating that we can better at making decisions through learning and practice.

There are no hopeless situations there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. It is not about what you think, but how you think. Decisions are more responsible when done with: recognising and resisting cognitive biases, valuing and applying rationally, thinking probabilistically and a step-by-step approach to break complex problems into manageable components like objectives, alternatives, and consequences.

Every decision one makes reflects your evaluation of who you are. Some decisions carry a time line. If delayed, the opportunity may be lost forever. Doubt often keeps us from choosing, and a decision clouded by doubt rarely serves us well. Do not mourn bad decisions, overcome them with good ones.

The art of decision making includes the art of questioning. There’s no wrong time to make the right decision and never put your decisions in the hands of those who do not have a price to pay for being wrong.

The people in spiritual connect have advantage choosing the path that feeds the soul, always making decisions that prioritize inner peace. Scriptures across different faiths provide timeless wisdom on decision-making during difficult circumstances with faith, prayer, and detachment from emotional extremes. To act with integrity and to let go the need to control the outcome taking responsibility for own actions and decisions is a mind well in focus.

The average adult is estimated to make approximately 35,000 remotely conscious decisions every day. The figure is widely cited by researchers and institutions such as the Harvard Business Review. The vast majority of these decisions occur automatically and without conscious deliberation. Truly conscious choices are estimated to number only 50 to 200 per day. This leaves immense scope and responsibility – to learn how to make our conscious decision better.    

Waheguru Mehran and Sarbat Ka Bhalla.