If you tend to be impulsive or procrastinate then making a good old fashion hand written list detailing the pros and cons could keep you from making a big mistake.
Acting on impulse is fine – indeed a certain advert suggests it leads to amazing results! Impulse suggests that we act on our instincts, our feelings, our heart.
These (gut) feelings are very real and take account of our previous experiences, as well as our values and beliefs. Yet because this happens unconsciously, sometimes our logical, thinking brain is unable to understand how we’ve come to that conclusion.
So writing things down helps to make this more conscious – so we can make a decision based on our unconscious and conscious thinking.
Take an A4 sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. Label the left column PROs and the right hand column CONS.
Write the issue or situation that you face at the top of the page.
Block time out in your diary to brainstorm the question and freely write your comments in both columns. Avoid censoring or editing your answers.
When you think you have finished and have nothing else to write, now go and do something different and revisit your paperwork in a few hours time.
Read the columns thoroughly. Use a coloured highlighter to show what really resonates with you now in the columns against the question.
If you are a fan of mind maps you might want to create a mind map for the
question too. Check out www.tonybuzan.com for more guidance.
In short, it is the self discipline to give yourself time and space to evaluate opportunities that counts and you can be sure you will make better decisions because of this.
