How to Make a Good Career Decision Faster - The Muse

How to Make a Good Career Decision Faster - The MuseHow to Make a Good Career Decision Faster We all like to weigh our options carefully when were making decisions. How many times have you browsed six different sites to find the perfect hotel for your next trip? Or, crowdsourced opinions from four different friends to pick the best outfit for an event? Or, asked 10 different co-workers whether you should, in fact, order the noodle bowl from that sketchy restaurant down the street?Theres certainly nothing wrong with this- the mora information we have and the more red flags we eliminate, the more likely were going to make a smart decision. But what is wrong is believing that this information will ultimately lead us to the right decision.And thats because theres no such thing. A recent article on Raptitude.com says it well Choices can be well reasoned or poorly reasoned. Their results can be surprisingly beneficial or surprisingly damaging. But theres no such thing as a categorically ri ght course of action, just an array of possible ones- and for each, a sprawling, endless web of consequences.The author suggests we look at it from another angle to better understand this Even after weve made a decision- for whatever reason we chose that path- when were living with the consequences, we dont know what the right choice was. All we know is whether we like where we are or dont like where we are.This is such a simple concept, but one we tend to take for granted. Thinking about our decisions from this angle relieves so much of the pressure. When theres not one perfect answer, its a lot harder to go wrong The key to this mindset, the author points out, it to remember that just because there isnt a right decision doesnt mean you cant make one thats wise for your situation. You have every right to choose a hotel thats way out of your price sortiment and infested with cockroaches, but youll probably be a lot happier and have a better trip staying in one thats cleaner and more affordable. Whichever clean and affordable hotel you choose, however, becomes irrelevant as long as it covers your needs.The point of all this is- as the author astutely states- to let yourself off the hook. Try to get all the facts, but then just take your pick. Stop spending so much time figuring out whether your decisions have hit the mark on the head. This goes for your career, too. Maybe youre easily stressed about taking the right job offer, or deciding whether to quit your job, or if you should pursue your passion. These are big decisions, I wont deny that. But youll never know if theyre the right path until you actually make a decision. You might mess up, you might have to deal with some bigger consequences (both of which are incredible learning experiences), but you might also have made the best decision of your life. And isnt that enough to feel like you did something right?Of course, if decisions arent your forte, this article and this one are great for helping you make the most informed ones you can.