My partner and I are looking to buy a house and as we went round open homes recently it struck me the process of buying a house is similar to most  decisions.  Often decision-making can be difficult, with indecision, likes and dislikes, timing and so much involved that it gets complicated.  And whether it’s deciding to change a job or some other life change it can be tricky.

So how do we make decision-making easier?  What I have realised through this house buying process is that gathering information is very very important to be able to make a final decision.  And with house buying  the hard yards just have to be done.   There is no other way.  So transferring this to other decisions this gathering of intelligence is crucial.  What I think sometimes happens is that we try to make decisions without having all the information.  We make assumptions about what people might say and do, we don’t gather all the facts, we don’t have information about the consequences of that decision.  Then what happens is there are lots of angst around should I or shouldn’t I, what if and maybe I could etc.  So lots of grappling in the mind with all the different scenarios.  But really “the decision” should be held off until all the angles are looked at, facts asssimilated and feelings considered.  Only once all that happens can we then pause and consider everything in totality.  And you know sometimes this can take months depending on the type of decision, this gathering and then reflection time.  Try and push this process too fast and the whole thing becomes too stressful.  Finally we sometimes just have to have faith that the decision we make is the right one.  And you know sometimes it may not be the right one for that place and time and we may be able to change it, choose differently or not.  And even if not hopefully we have learnt something useful along the way.

PS Oh and try to not beat yourself up if the decision turns out to be not the best one.  Putting yourself down won’t help anyone and certainly will only undermine yourself and what does that achieve???  🙂