Most of us take decision-making for granted.

We make choices without sufficiently evaluating the variables that impact the results of our choices. Oftentimes, we fail to recognize these variables,

which causes us to make uninformed decisions. Our

results are predictably less than stellar. We might even

make things worse than had we not made a decision at all.

The law of unintended consequences is more likely to

affect us when we overlook (or outright ignore) important

factors in the decision-making process.

We can improve our results by taking greater care with

how we make choices. If we do so methodically, considering

every variable that might impact our results rather

than trusting our intuition, we stand to achieve better

outcomes.

Ultimately, it’s possible to learn how to consistently make

good decisions. This book will give you the tools you need

to do so. We’ll create simple, effective systems you can use

to make logical decisions, quickly and with absolute

confidence.

What to Expect in How to Make Better Decisions.

In PART I: Understanding Our Decision-Making Process, we’ll

investigate how we make decisions, why we often make

poor ones, and explore the obstacles that make us stumble.

Here, we’ll lay the foundation. Learning to make better

decisions requires first examining our current processes.

We’ll highlight common bad habits and routines so we can

replace them with more useful ones. We’ll discuss the role

of emotions, fake urgency, and our tendency to procrastinate.

We’ll also examine our propensity to make assumptions

and cling to counterproductive biases.

In PART II: 14 Tactics for Making Better Decisions, we’ll

cover specific formulas for making good, informed decisions.

This is the bulk of the book. It contains the most

actionable content. Each chapter ends with a simple, practical

exercise designed to help you apply what you’ve

learned.

We’ll conclude with PART III: How to Optimize Your Decisions.

In this final section, we’ll explore how to

bring about the most favorable outcomes possible given

your options. We’ll talk about the questions you should ask

yourself before making decisions. We’ll also discuss the

value of having a feedback loop in place and how to create

one that works.

Business Decision-Making vs. Personal Decision-

Making.

Many of the systems and models described in this book are

used today by today’s business leaders. But note, they are

just as effective in personal decision-making. This means you

can apply them in your job, at home, or at school. You can

use them when making decisions with friends, family, or

colleagues.

Along these lines, many of these systems can be used in

a collaborative setting with multiple actors providing data

and opinions. This means you can easily include others

into the decision-making process if you so desire. Having

said that, this book focuses on individual decision-making,

where you are the sole actor.