Decision Awareness

"Two roads diverged in a wood and I--I took the road less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." (Robert Frost, The Road not Taken)

The results we achieve depend on the actions we take. Our actions, in turn, depend on the decisions we make. The purpose of "Decision U" is to highlight the importance of effective decision-making and to explore how to make better decisions (and hence achieve better results).

The term decision-maker conjures up images of political leaders or corporate executives, their foreheads creased with concern as they agonize over which way to proceed. Such individuals make weighty decisions with far-reaching impacts. And yet, these people are not the only ones that make decisions. As a matter of fact, everyone, including you, is a decision-maker. Each day, you decide when to wake up, when, where and what to eat, and what to wear. These decisions may seem to be minor and inconsequential, but they are decisions nonetheless.

If you are to benefit from this blog, you will need to take an active role. The purpose of the first homework assignment is to raise your awareness as to how prevalent decisions are in your life. Yogi Berra once said, "you can observe a lot just by watching." For the next several days, observe carefully and identify examples of decisions that you or others in your life face. Then, make a list of five of these decisions that you find most interesting or challenging. As you complete this exercise, keep in mind that Yogi Berra also said "when you come to a fork in the road, take it."