The Elements of a Good Decision

Inspired by a graphic I discovered on Pinterest by Unknown.

Do you make 'good' decisions?
What even makes a decision good - it's not just the outcome.

We can still make a good decision, and have a crappy outcome.
It's not a guarantee - just like most things in life

But, when you make good decisions CONSISTENTLY, they lead to better outcomes CONSISTENTLY, too.

So the question then becomes what are the elements of a good decision?

A great framework for this is to think of these elements as links in a chain.
The overall strength of the chain, is only as strong as the individual links.

Here's a breakdown of those links:

Creative Alternatives, what can I do?
Useful Information, what do I need to know?
Sound Reasoning, am I thinking straight?
Commitment to Follow Through, will I do it?
Helpful Frame, what am I really deciding?
Clear Values, what do I want?

If you want to make a good decision think about each of these elements (or links), consider both the subjective and objective angles, your head and your heart.

What's your process for making a good decision?
Let me know in the comments below.

I love the idea of taking the luck out of the decisions we make every day, and I look forward to using this framework more in my day-to-day life.