I’m in the middle of making a very difficult decision in my life regarding my future. For personal reasons, let’s just leave the details at that. But it’s a safe bet that this decision has been extremely difficult for me to consider over the past few months, and it has been constantly on my mind.

In search of a better way to make such a difficult decision, I found a couple of interesting techniques. I’ll try each one and let you know how it’s worked for me. Maybe you can use one of these methods in your own life! Just think about which one would work best for you.

1. Zero-Based Thinking: It all boils down to this: “If you knew then what you know now, would you still make the same decision?” According to this method, you need to look at your decision with a “20-2o hindsight” mindset. For example, if you’re deciding whether or not to fire an employee, look at his or her history with your company. If you would not re-hire the employee, knowing what you know now, it’s probably the right decision to fire the person.

Look at each situation with knowledge of any history you’ve had with that situation. In other words, learn from your mistakes, and don’t make them again!

2. Is This Me? With this method, you’ll have to ask yourself the simple question – “Is this me?” For each option, ask yourself – and let your TRUE self answer – whether it is for you or not. Check out Steve Palina’s site for more information about this method.

It’s probably my favorite method, and the one that works most effectively for me.

Ultimately, though, I have found that you need to have a certain mindset before you can truly make a difficult decision. Here’s a few things I’ve learned are very important:

• Know this: you’ll never know if you made the right decision. How can you know what your life would have been like if you HADN’T made that decision? What if you chose the other option? Maybe your life would’ve been better, and maybe it would have been much worse. You’ll never know…so don’t assume that you do!
• Look into every one of your options. If you can find a way to compromise, do it. That will usually result in your making the best possible decision with the knowledge you have available to you.
• When you make your decision, follow through with it. I have (regrettably) been infamous for second-guessing myself once I had made a decision, only to quit halfway through. And when I look back on it, I wish I had just “stuck things out” and kept going. If you make a decision, understand the “pluses” and the “minuses” – and commit to following through on your decision, regardless of the minuses that come your way. You’ll save yourself a lot of headache.
• And finally, listen to others’ opinions, but know that YOURS is the most important. Don’t ever let yourself get talked into a difficult situation without being committed to it yourself. This is how lives can be ruined for the future; when decisions are made FOR you, as opposed to yourself making the decision.

You don’t want to regret your decision, but you can’t be afraid to make it. If it happens that you come to regret it down the road, use it as a learning experience. That’s what life is. But chances are, if you follow some of the rules above, you’ll end up making a great decision, and learning from it in the process!