Stages of a Great Decision

1. The Information Gathering Stage
Stage one is assembling information. Not biased information. Not the information that justifies the decision you already want to make. Gathering honest, objective information is the essential first step to making a great decision.

“To discover the truth, I must look for the fiction that I want to believe is true but cannot really count on. My poor decisions were based on illusions I believed at the time. My better decisions are based on realities I recognize in time.” - Dr. Spencer Johnson

2. The Shaping Stage
At stage two your objective is no longer gathering information but digesting information. Organize it. Let it simmer. Get counsel from others. Consider the information while in a variety of moods. There are three critical questions to ask in stage two…. “Have I really prayed about this?” “What does God want me to do?” “Will I surrender my will to His?”

3. The Finalizing Stage
Enough evaluation! Make the decision! Just pull the trigger…fire…do it…let it go…quit fretting it….get off the fence…rock and roll…move on! Perfection is not one of your options! Do the best you can with what you have and make a call!

4. The Execution Stage
Making a good decision and executing a good decision are very different. Success now depends on action. Carry out the decision with confidence and passion. This is not a time for second guessing, shaping or evaluation. Ask God to help you with strength and focus… then just do it, baby.

5. The Patience Stage
Don’t immediately start evaluating. Give your decision time to work. A seed can’t grow unless it is left in the ground, nurtured and given time. Be patient.

6. The Evaluation Stage
With the benefit of hindsight, evaluate the decision. You may need to revisit the decision and make course corrections. Or, it may well be that any small improvement gained from revisiting the decision will not be worth the time and energy required. Evaluate the quality of the decision based on the information you had at the time. Remember all great decisions don't lead to pleasant outcomes.

Comments

[Joan A.]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going to print this out to refer to.