PART II: FIVE PARTS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE’S STRATEGY

PART 2: LEARN TO MAKE A BETTER DECISION

Feeling bad after making a decision doesn't mean it was the wrong decision. You just have to learn from it to make a better decision next time around.

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." – Theodore Roosevelt

Every decision carries an inherent risk of regret. However, negative emotions following a choice often stem from fear of the unknown or the immediate outcomes rather than the decision itself. For example, choosing to leave a secure job for a passion-driven career can induce anxiety initially, but it might lead to greater fulfillment in the long run.

Practically, reflect on decisions with a growth mindset. If you decide to start a business and it fails, analyze what went wrong. Did you underestimate the market demand? Was the pricing strategy flawed? Use these lessons to improve your future ventures. Understanding that every choice is a learning opportunity transforms regret into wisdom.

Regret often clouds our judgment post-decision, leading to self-doubt. However, the discomfort of poor outcomes can be a valuable teacher.

Practical Example: A student chooses a college major they later feel unfulfilled by. Initially, they may regret their decision, but upon reflection, they identify the aspects they dislike and pivot to a more aligned career path, such as switching from accounting to marketing. The initial decision wasn’t inherently wrong; it simply offered clarity on their true interests.

"The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision." – Maimonides

Suggested ways to Improve:

• Write Down the Decision-Making Process: Document why you made the choice at the time. This will help you see that you made the best decision with the information available. For example: A manager hires a candidate who underperforms. Reviewing the hiring process helps them refine future selections.
• Reframe Mistakes as Learning Opportunities: Instead of dwelling on failure, ask, “What did I learn?” For example: An investor loses money in a risky stock. Instead of quitting, they study market trends to make smarter investments.
• Seek Feedback: Talk to mentors or colleagues about your decision to gain insights on how to improve. For example: A marketing team launches an unsuccessful ad campaign but collects customer feedback to refine their next attempt.
• Adopt a Growth Mindset: View every decision as part of a learning journey rather than a final verdict on your capabilities. For example: An athlete loses a race but uses the experience to train harder and refine their technique for the next competition.

Key Takeaways 

Use regret as a stepping stone to something better and fantastic. Analyze the outcomes, extract lessons, and make more informed decisions in the future.  Regret is natural, but it should be used as a tool for growth rather than a source of self-doubt. Feeling bad after a decision doesn’t mean it was wrong—it means you care about making better choices in the future.

"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." – Tony Robbins

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