I Can’t Help Myself!
Everyone makes bad decisions. Some of us make bad decisions occasionally while others among us seem to do it continually. The sentence “What was he thinking?” has become a common observation for actions that don’t make sense. There are TV shows dedicated to showing people making decisions that are just bizarre. Why would someone bungee jump off a high (or low) bridge? Why would someone drive a motorcycle at 90 miles an hour? For that matter, why would someone start smoking?
The fact is, very few of us make every decision in a careful, rational way. Many of us are subject to the influence of others. If a friend suggests driving all night to Vegas, or playing a tasteless prank on a co-worker, we may do it. Many of us are insecure. If a salesperson says we look good in a suit or a car, we may buy it. And many of us feel guilt. If a child or spouse asks for something, we can’t bear the thought of saying no.
So it is easy to understand why we make bad decisions, but how do we prevent it?
The Budget Doctor’s prescription for avoiding bad decisions:
1. Always ask yourself why you are making an important decision like changing jobs, moving or buying something expensive. Understand that you are likely to lie to yourself and others and think about the real reason for that decision. Writing them down makes it easier to think about them.
2. Discuss important decisions with someone you trust to be honest. Explain your intentions and see what reaction you get. Bad decisions are usually more obvious to someone else. Be grateful for any questions or advice.
3. Don’t make important decisions quickly. The longer you have to think about a decision, the less likely it is you will make a bad decision. Take a year to decide on a marriage, three months to decide on a home and three weeks to decide on a car. Some options will disappear, that is better than a bad decision.
4. Admit to your bad decisions and think about them. Why were they bad? How can you avoid similar decisions? If you can’t think of any bad decisions you have made, you really need to get help because everyone makes bad decisions.
The human brain may be powerful, but it is far from perfect. It encourages us to act quickly and “to trust our instincts” even though our instincts are frequently wrong. If you think you are a good judge of character; if you believe in love at first sight; if you gamble expecting to win or if you think you’ve never made a bad decision; you probably need to re-read this article because you don’t understand what your brain is doing to you.