How to learn to make a choice so as not to regret it

Human life consists of big and small decisions. Every day we make choices, what time to get up, what to eat for breakfast and which way to go to work. Even such trifles sometimes cause serious anxiety, not to mention something bigger: what higher educational institution to enter, what work to get, for whom to marry - or, perhaps, to get a divorce, leave and go in search of something better? The answer to such questions is often depression, a desire to confide in the will of the case or just leave it as it is and go with the flow. After all, having done something, so often you have to repent of this later. But repent of inaction is not less. How to learn to make a choice correctly?

Lack of information

One of the main obstacles that appears when you need to make a choice is the incomplete information available. It is impossible to foresee all difficulties, warn all problems, calculate all the details - simply because we are not given the opportunity to see the future. On the other hand, each of the available options is at least a bit, but the cat is in the bag.

Fatalism and knowledge

The consequences of our actions are difficult to predict, but this is not an excuse not to make a choice and surrender to the mercy of fate. To begin with, find out about the subjects of choice as much as possible. True, it is still impossible to learn about them absolutely everything and exclude from the most thoughtful plan the will of the case. It remains only to put up with it and believe in yourself: whatever you do, whatever happens, you will cope with possible problems and take advantage. This idea reduces the internal tension: you no longer require yourself to make a choice completely unmistakable.

Methods of decision making

1. You can sit down, lie down, walk down the street (as you think better) and mentally weigh all the options. You can do the same on a sheet of paper: describe each option, its merits and demerits. For greater clarity, you can even draw a table, in the columns of which you list all the pros and cons of each option, and then read them - and, perhaps, with a quiet heart choose the option that has the most merit. Just do not forget that their quantity does not always match the quality.

2. There is a less rational way. Dry counting of income and expenditure is meaningless, if it is more important for you what you will feel in one or another situation. Then it's best to imagine each possible variant alternatively and experience it in your imagination. So you will find out what your emotional reaction will be in this or that case, and whether you like it.

3. Trust your intuition. Making choices with its help is an invaluable talent: if one can foresee contingencies, then only with the help of such an irrational instinct. This does not mean that you have to choose at random, but if you feel that, contrary to all logic, something tells you something quite different, do not rush it out of your head.

Some of these techniques are more natural for you, some - less: it depends on the mindset. It is more convenient and easier to use your own, native, however it is worthwhile to try and others and apply them in parallel: so you can look at your problem from different sides and get a more complete picture.