When we try to improve our decision making process it usually comes from realising that we frequently make decisions based purely on our own opinions and our own thoughts. Making decisions this way means we’re always limited to what we already know while there are other people out there who have more information and expertise than us. These people will have educated opinions and by asking them the right questions you increase your chances of making the best decision.
There will likely have been times in your life where your opinion was the opposite to someone else’s, where one of you was correct, and the other was wrong. Sometimes we have to accept that our opinion will sometimes be wrong and what we should strive for is to minimise our wrong decisions whenever we can.
It can sometimes be difficult to determine if your thought process is a good one and this is why it’s important to speak with people who are experts in their particular field, by asking the right questions and listening to their answers, no matter if they align with your beliefs or not.
Engaging in a discussion where you have a different opinion to someone else should be viewed as an open discussion and not an argument. If you see it this way, and realise that despite your personal opinion you can learn something new which could change your view then you will get the most from speaking to people who know better than you, in the same way that a student would ask questions from a teacher, it’s important to allow the person to express themselves freely without you interrupting them because their beliefs go against your own.
If you have a belief that goes against someone else’s you should strive to understand the reasoning behind their reasoning, if they can explain the reason in a logical way that makes sense to you then it’s your opportunity to ask more questions to determine the likelihood of it being the truth. It’s not easy to stay open minded, and there will always be situations where ego gets in the way, but when it comes to making decisions it’s important that you get all of the information you need to find the best possible solution. When you think that your goal is to make the best decision rather than to be right you will become allot more successful in anything you decide to do.
When looking for someone to ask advice, you should first consider their credentials for giving it. It’s important the person has proven to be successful themselves on at least 2 occasions, they should also be very knowledgeable on the particular subject you need advice with, it’s no good asking a doctors advice on how to bake a birthday cake! They have to reliable and helpful, it’s no good if they choose not listen to your questions either and give you inaccurate advice.
A great way to ensure you understand what your advisor has said, is to repeat back to them what you believe they said, do this as precisely as possible and if they agree then you know for sure that you fully understand their perspective. This is an important part of the entire process, so don’t miss this part out. How many times have you said something, and the person listening completely misunderstood what you said. It happens all the time, but not something you should allow to happen for important decisions.
The reason many people struggle to ask for advice is because they believe it makes them look weak, they would rather believe they are right, and live with the risk of being wrong than to know the truth, this seems completely idiotic, and it is but consider how many people fail to achieve their goals, and ask yourself why. I think making decisions based on false beliefs would go a fair way in explaining it.
Always try to suspend judgement and approach discussions with an open mind, this will help you grow and improve your decision making process, even if you find it difficult, through practise you will learn to ask better questions to get the answers you need.
