Just to start off, I'd like to point out that I am one of those people who detests making decisions. I'm the person who goes to a restaurant and will get the same thing over and over again because I can't stand having to decide again. And when I do need to make a decision, I take forever to choose. Maybe that's why I'm struggling with choosing a major...but that's another topic. This lecture and lab were, therefore, incredibly helpful and great reminders for my personal life about the importance of making choices.
Bro. Nathan Ward from Student Leadership came to speak to us on Wednesday on, yep, decision-making. First off, Bro. Ward shared this definition of making choices: "the mental processes resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios." we went over why it's so hard to make decisions. This is mainly because of limited time, limited information, fear of consequences, disagreement, and uncertainty. I personally struggle with the uncertainty of making choices, especially with not knowing about how my choice will effect the outcomes. For example, I'm hesitant ordering new foods at a restaurant because I have no desire to get food poisoning. On a larger scale, I am uncertain about what I really want to do for the rest of my life so selecting a major is an incredibly difficult decision for me to make.
So now I have a definition about what I'm doing when I have to make a choice and I know why it's so difficult. But how do I go about making the decision?
One thing Bro. Ward mentioned that stood out to me was that decision-making is a process, not an event. I think I knew that in the back of my mind somewhere, but it had never really occurred to me that I go through a process every time I have a choice to make. A lot of the time we go through the process subconsciously, like when we're deciding whether or not to brush our teeth or if we should wear a coat outside. But for other things, like choosing a major, there's a long process involved before a choice can be made.
A quote from President Theodore Roosevelt: "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." The overall goal in decision-mkaing is to get things done. We can't spend our entire lives dwelling on the fact that we might make the wrong decision. It's okay to do that; everyone makes mistakes. What's not okay is letting that fear overtake your ability to ever get anything done.
In the lab on Monday we talked about ways to choose the best alternative. There's a list of pros and cons, making a decision matrix (which involves math so probably not the best way for me), and reviewing the consequences of each decision. But the best way to get help and eventually come to a decision is to turn to the Lord. President James E. Faust stated, "How do we make correct choices? A choice involves making a conscious decision. To make an intelligent decision we need to evaluate all available facts on both sides of an issue. But that isn’t enough. Making correct decisions involves prayer and inspiration." The most reliable source of help is the Lord. He will guide us as we humbly and sincerely ask for his guidance, particularly in the most challenging life decisions that we must make.
In closing, I'd like to share a quote from Napoleon Bonaparte: "Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide."
I've got a ways to go, but hopefully as I use the techniques I learned about this past week and turn to the Lord for a little extra help, I can become a more efficient decision-maker and therefore a more effective leader.
