Skip to main content

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.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...
1 comment
Read More

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...
6 comments
Read More

Men prefer to marry brunettes

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...
Post a Comment
Read More