Compressing Decision Making

Major Techniques

Go to underlying reasons for the decision, and reason up. Goal Factor.
When possible, run a trial of important decisions before committing to them.
Define and enshrine core priorities & values.
Premortem
Find objective Information.
Zero Based Thinking
1. If a new person walked into your life, what would they do? Escape your mental frame.
2. If I was not already in this job / relationship / situation, would I enter it again?
3. If any variant of no, ask: How do I get out, and how quickly can I do it?

Minor Techniques

Distance yourself emotionally from the decision
1. Worst case scenario
Minimize the downside of your decision
Set tripwires to check whether a decision needs to be made / changed
Assume you can’t choose any of the existing options. What would you do?
What would the most determined, courageous version of me do?
Assume you’re forced into one decision. What would you do?
Have multiple good options in front of you simultaneously (Protects from premature commitment)
Seriously consider the opposite on important decisions. Find a belief driving your behavior and argue with all energy against it.
Look at your decision from the perspective of several time frames. 10 days / 10 months / 10 years, for example.
When you have a difficult decision to make, flesh it out as the values conflict it inevitably is.
Honestly ask yourself what you want and what should be done about it.
What am I likely to lie to myself about in this space?

Major Models

Minor Models

Confirmation Bias
Short term emotions
Prevention Focus vs. Promotion Focus
Identify and don’t tolerate the problems that stand in the way of your goals
Design plans that explicitly lay out the tasks that will get you over your problems and onto your goals

Processes:

Pro-Con List.
Flip a coin. While the coin is in the air, notice whether you want it to come up heads or tails.
Spreadsheet w/ criteria based weighting.
Fast / Slow decision making method in Decision Making doc.