Fundamental of Achievement
Decision
Making
The decisions you make have a major impact on the quality of your life, arguably more than anything else. In fact, it is often said that your circumstances are the result of your choices. If you don’t make good decisions, the likelihood that you’ll live a great life is almost zero.
Tier
What Is Decision Making?
Decision making is the process of making choices, especially important or complex ones. As a general rule: thoughtful, strategic decision making leads to better results than impulsive decision making. However, outcomes are seldom guaranteed either way.
Why Decision Making?
Decision making is inescapable. Even avoiding a decision is a decision within itself. Take control of the choices you make to take control of your life.
I don’t claim to be an expert on anything I write about.
Hell, I hardly claim to be an expert on myself.  😂😂😂
These breakdowns are largely for me. I use them to record and reference. Unlike most others on this site though, this decision making page might actually be useful to the outside observer.
No promises. You can tell me.
Life Arithmetic
The math is simple. Your life is a sum of the choices you make. If you want to live a better life, make better decisions.
Dealing with Dilemma
To a very large degree, life is about trade-offs. You can’t do everything. So analyze the opportunity cost honestly.
Forks of Your Future
Your life path stretchs out before you with many branches. Knowing how to decide which way to go is a vital skill.
Function of Free Will
Choice is one of the most profound aspects of the human experience. Making good decisions is like worship.
It’s not always easy to make the right decisions. Here’s a quick look at what honing my decision making capability has been like for me.
Learn with Me
Just like anyone else:
I’ve made plenty of good and bad decisions.
Recently though, my decision making has leaned towards the “right” decision more often than not. It’s taken a lot of internal work to make that happen. I had to do it consciously.
My “factory settings” didn’t necessarily lend themselves to making good choices on a consistent basis.
So I had to decide to change them.
Through practice, I’ve been able to take more and more control of my choices. I’m still learning how to ensure my day-to-day choices line up with my long-term Goals. Admittedly, I don’t always get it right.
However, I’m definitely making progress (as seen on This Site).
My Experience
I’m steadily mastering my decision making.
I become more intentional year after year.
Oftentimes, I’m still plagued by impulsivity as much as the tendency to overthink things.
However, I generally know what I want.
Now, it just comes down to choosing actions that bring me closer to my goals on a consistent basis.
The more I analyze the results of my decisions, the better I get at choosing the correct path forward. Some of that comes down to Habits, some of it comes down to Strategy.
Through Trial and Error, I refine both.
- Importance – 99%
- Passion – 75%
- Mastery – 60%
Journey Started: 1988
Good Life Foundation
Decision making makes the difference. It is vital
They are an essential pillar of a good life. Without them, it’s easy to get blown to and fro by the winds of the world.
Where Decision Making Fits in a Good Life
Decision making is a major piece in several of life’s biggest puzzles.
It is a part of Game Theory, Entrepreneurship, Achievement, Character, and Reality itself.
It is also closely tied to Free Will, Strategy, and Critical Thinking.
Goals are one of the most important pieces of the Achievement puzzle.
For me, they’re a “Tier 2” concept, on the same level as Mindset, Habits, Growth, and High Performance.
It is also closely tied to practices like Journaling.
1. Achievement
‣ 2. Goal Setting
3. Frameworks
3. Scheduling
4. Yearly
4. Monthly
4. Daily Planning
3. Business Plans
Success Habit Rank
Videos Watched
Mentions on My Site
Books Read
Pulling Threads: A Lion Chasing Rabbits
What the hell is This Site, exactly? A pointless stream of consciousness? A fanboy's ode to his Heroes? A psycho's Favorite topics? All three? Or maybe, it's just the result of a lion chasing rabbits. You might LOL... but this is how it works: I am destined to be the...
Choosing the Right Decisions for Yourself
For decision making newbies:
Let’s start with the best advice up front.
Just get started.
etymology… greek(?) for cut… cut out one of the choices/futures… inherently tied to sacrifice
There’s two main ways you should consider your decision making.
No one is really new to decision making.
Making Smart Moves
1. strategic thinking/game theory/critical thinking/logic… choosing a career path, choosing how and when to pivot in business, should you buy boardwalk in monopoly?
this is a skill that needs sharpening… some can be built by practice, like playing chess… others require experience and/or study like business decisions… reach a high enough level, it will feel like instinct/intuition/follow your gut
Habitual Good Decisions
2. consistency/willpower/day to day decisions/discipline… choosing to work on your side hustle instead of playing video games, choosing the salad over the pizza, etc.
easy to get into patterns making the same decision over and over to the point that they are basically automatic… like hitting the snooze button, we call these habits… they can be good repetitive decisions or bad ones.
in the overall game of life, the objective isn’t as clear as a game of chess/monopoly… so you need to find/define that clarity for yourself
One of the things that can empower you to make consistently good decisions is proper Goal Setting.
 decision fatigue
some bad decision making comes with maturity… but not all “mature” decisions are better, willingness to take risks
some decisions are more personal… some impact others… you even get to decide whether that matters to you
The Big Decisions/Life Changing Decisions
could go before or after habitual good decisions H3…. if first, transition could be “one of the biggest ways to increase your chance of making the right decision in these pivotal moments is to get into the habit of making good decisions”… if second, transition could be “still, no matter how good you become at making the day-to-day decisions, some decisions are more pivotal/life shaping/life altering”
pivotal, cross roads
change of the course of your relationships, career, or your entire life
moving across the country, talking to that girl, making that networking connection, deciding to get sober
need to put yourself in the position/mindset to even have these opportunities fall to you and/or avoid challenges that you really don’t need in your life
 many of these decisions will also impact others… your family, friends, maybe even the world
How to Make Good Decisions Step-By-Step
01
Goal Setting
You’ll make better decisions if you understand what you truly want. It’s easier to align your choices if you have an explicit destination. Goals provide a scale to weigh your decisions against. Without them, it’s nigh on impossible to know how you’re measuring up.
02
Decision Science
Unknown to most people, there is such a thing as Decision Science. You can actually study how to make better choices. Different factors like Logic, Strategy, and Game Theory come into play depending on the situation.
/logic/repeatable, proven strategies
If you can trust yourself to carry out the actions behind your decisions, you’re ready to focus on game theory and strategy
Strategy
Logic
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03
Heroes & History
The tales of humanity provide
That’s why religious texts often wrap their wisdom in narrative.
study what others have done… learn from their mistakes/victories and defeats… don’t always have to carve your own path… history, both ancient and modern… could even look at myths, regardless find your heroes and learn from them
may not be able to stand on the shoulders of giants but you can walk in their footsteps
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04
Results vs Risks
You already know you can’t do everything at once. Some things will have to be discarded in favor of others. To do this well, you need to weigh your Opportunity Costs and eliminate the least favorable options. Great decision making requires Sacrifice.
best case scenarios and most likely scenarios…Â
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05
Exercise Choice/Take Responsiblity
eventually, you just have to pick… analysis paralysis… making sacrifices… fate vs free will
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06
Commit?
The hardest part of decision making is often the Commitment.
Some decisions require incredible willpower
value in being decisive… though also value in review and the ability to admit when you’re wrong… make decisiveness a part of your Self Identity?
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07
Trial & Error
you’ll inevitably make some incorrect decisions… ability to analyze where you went wrong and adjust is an important skill
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Remember: just start. The first time you put your goals on paper, you’re closer to achieving your dreams than 90% of the population.
My Favorite Decision Making Videos
Everything you need to learn about good decision making can be found online.
I’m no high performance titan. I stand on the shoulders of giants. I simply listen to what my Heroes say and apply it. Not everything sticks. But enough does to make a lasting impact.
Data
Dump
One of the main purposes of This Site is to catalog my learnings. I’m not that learned. But I’m working on becoming moreso. If you see a “data dump” on this site, you’re looking at unsorted information. It may be related or completely unrelated, depending on the topic.
How to Evaluate Opportunities
Brendon Burchard
GAME THEORY: The Pinnacle of Decision Making
The Choice | How To Improve Decision Making Skills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQLQoGD6Sjg
Alex Hormozi
Mastin Kipp on Impact Theory
this one may not belong??
How To Make Decisions | Sam Ovens
The Death of Alex Becker
Mr. Wonderful Explains Why He Always Chooses Business
Principles for Success by Ray Dalio
How I Use Fear and Pain To Make Millions
Four Decisions Changed My Life
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTVtBhVYZwY
video made private
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Game
Theory
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Life-Altering
Decisions
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How I Make Decisions That Help Create the Life I want
If you haven’t noticed, I take this stuff seriously.
You don’t have to do it like me. But maybe you wanna know. So I guess I’ll tell you. You might have picked some of it up by reading through this page or clicking on some of the links.
I’ll spell it all out here.
Knowing What I Want/Myself
self awareness, goal setting
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Proper Priming
morning routine… getting into the right mindset…environmental control
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Deep Deliberation/Being Calculating
journaling
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How I Do It Part 4
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How I Do It Part 5
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Favorite Coaches
Favorite Teachers
Favorite Entrepreneurs
My [This Favorite] Posts
Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals
I'm fairly confident 2022 is going to be the most successful year of my life so far. I'm writing this post to help guarantee that. Obviously, I can't control the future. But I can set intentions and create a plan of action. That's what Goal Setting is all about. So...
Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals
New Year's Resolutions get a bad wrap. It's not their fault though. It's yours. The truth is: The beginning of the year is a perfect time for a reset. You have to execute though. Do it right and this year could be the best year you've ever had. No guarantees. Because,...
![How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]](https://zachbradshaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/How-to-Become-a-Morning-Person-and-Stop-Being-a-Night-Owl-400x250.png)
How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]
Becoming a "morning person" has changed my life. Only time will tell, but it could go down as a top five factor to my future success. Learning how to wake up early wasn't easy. Until the second half of 2018, I've been a notoriously late sleeper. It started as a kid: I...
Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals
I'm fairly confident 2022 is going to be the most successful year of my life so far. I'm writing this post to help guarantee that. Obviously, I can't control the future. But I can set intentions and create a plan of action. That's what Goal Setting is all about. So...
Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals
New Year's Resolutions get a bad wrap. It's not their fault though. It's yours. The truth is: The beginning of the year is a perfect time for a reset. You have to execute though. Do it right and this year could be the best year you've ever had. No guarantees. Because,...
How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]
Becoming a "morning person" has changed my life. Only time will tell, but it could go down as a top five factor to my future success. Learning how to wake up early wasn't easy. Until the second half of 2018, I've been a notoriously late sleeper. It started as a kid: I...
Setting Goals for 2019
I have mixed feelings about New Year's Resolutions. I don't believe in waiting to make changes. I think it makes more sense to try to grow everyday. Create good new habits. Erase the negative old ones. Do it all the time. However, I find that measurement is...
My Top 3 High Performance Coaches
"YouTube University" has brought many a life-optimizer across my path. These three are my favorite high performance coaches.
How I Think About Decision Making
For me, Decision Making sits as an important skill under Achievement, Character, & Entrepreneurship.Â
In truth, it it might belong under several more Tier 1 topics as well.
My Decision Making data dump isn’t all that deep yet. I still have a lot to learn on this one. And learn I will. Decision Making has a direct impact on quality of life. As such, I assume the role of humble student.
Here’s a quick look at those.