7 Steps To Making Decisions

 

7 Steps To Making Decisions

Making Decisions Is Easier When You Use Circles Of Control.

Have you been wavering, trying to make a decision but you just can’t decide?  While it won’t give you the answer, using Circles of Control can be helpful.  Why?  With Circles of Control, you’ll actually figure out what must happen to reach your goal and you’ll figure out who controls each of the steps to your goal. 

It may seem backwards, but with Circles of Control, you’ll start at the end, at what it is you want to actually happen.  Here are the steps in Circles of Control. 

1. What do you want to happen, in other words, what is your goal?  To begin, ask yourself what it is you want to happen.  Are you trying to decide between job offers?  Or, are you and your spouse deciding to begin a family?  What about deciding to buy a home?  Whatever your outcome, see it clearly.  Make it come alive in your mind. 
2. What makes your goal meaningful to you?  What are the attributes of your objective that are most meaningful to you?  When deciding between job offers, for example, there are many points to consider.  Naturally, the details of the job itself will be important.  Does it use your greatest strengths?  Is there a pathway for promotion and growth?  What is the pay? What about the company, is it thriving, is it prestigious? What makes your goal meaningful to you?
3. List the steps to reach your outcome.  With your goal and the reasons it is important in mind, list all the steps necessary for you to reach your goal.  Remember that there is never a single straight path to an outcome.  Think of all the different routes you can take to get to your outcome.  Add those to your list.  Why?  Because you may need to alter your path somewhat as you determine the degree of control you have at each step. 
4. Assign levels of control to each step to your outcome.   For every step to your goal, decide between Direct Control, is it an action you can take where you are certain of the result? Influential Control, are you able to influence the person other than yourself, who has direct control? or No Control, an action where neither you nor another can exert control.
   A quick way to think about the circles of control is to think about the money you need for a trip.  You would have direct control over the money you need by saving a specific amount of money each month.  You would have influential control over the money you need for the trip if you decided to ask someone for the money.  You would have no control over the money you need for the trip if you decided you’d get it by winning the lottery.
5. Reality checks.  Every step to your outcome must be possible.  A regular reality check is helpful as you examine the level of control for each step of your planned journey.
6. Is anything in your No Control circle a barrier to your goal?  For the steps over which you have no control, determine if it is a barrier to your goal.  If the step is necessary to reach your goal but you have no control over making it happen, you’ll need to look at alternative paths to your outcome. 
7. Keep an eye on each step to your goal.  Surprisingly, steps to your goal or outcome can change.  Sometimes a No Control step can change to an Influential Control step.  Other times, a Direct Control can slide to a No Control.  Until you reach your goal, be sure to keep an eye on your degree of control for each step. 

Now that you’ve identified the steps to your outcome and who holds control for each step, it’s time to put your plan into action.