2 can't-miss tips for making better choices

From our choice of partner to the job through which we earn a living, life entails making a slew of decisions -- many of them carrying tremendous weight -- in a world of seemingly endless possibilities.

While, in retrospect, we wish we would have done certain certain things differently, all we can do is learn from our mistakes and use them as stepping stones for growth.

Here are two valuable tips for making better decisions.

1. Consider the pros and cons. Whether you're buying a car or considering breaking up with your girlfriend of two years, weigh the positives and negatives carefully.

I'm not talking about, say, deciding what you'll have for dinner tonight. I speak of those choices that can have life-altering implications.

For example, you might be getting much more bells and whistles with a Nissan Maxima rather than a Honda Civic, but it'll come at a heftier price -- one that can put a major dent in your savings.

And maybe you've been wondering lately if the grass is greener as far as your dating prospects. Sure, you might end up with someone prettier or wealthier than your girlfriend, but will the two of you be as compatible? Will you regret letting her go and seeing her in the arms of another man?

With every decision we make come tradeoffs. You want to make sure you're gaining more than you're losing in the process.

2. Realize that there is no ideal choice.
Although we can take steps to make better decisions -- like not acting impulsively and consulting others -- there will probably be days (and chances are they'll be bad ones) where you'll second-guess yourself, questioning whether you should have gone with a different choice.

For example, you and your husband may have opted not to have kids, but you may feel pangs of remorse during holidays and special occasions that are family-centric (e.g., Halloween and Christmas).

Or, you may appreciate the fact that the medical field pays handsomely, but you are not thrilled about the fact that you're on call 24/7, cutting into your time with friends and family.

Indeed, you'll have trying days that will make you wish you'd taken a different path.

But then a student tells you that you've made a difference in their lives, or your girlfriend says that you're the most wonderful man she's ever met -- reassuring you that you did in fact make the right decision.

All we can do is make the best decisions we can with the information we have available at the time.