A show of hands; Who has heard of a Pros and Cons list? I am assuming everyone’s hands are up. So, I can presume that you all have made at least one, as well. I developed a way to take your pros and cons list to the next level. It goes beyond weighing out how many pros to cons. As I have learned we sometimes need more. There are times where it is not that simple. I share this process with my clients and now I am sharing it with you. Let’s get into it.

Into The Thick Of It

The first step is to create your typical Pros and Cons list. On the left side, you have your pros, and on the right, your cons. Normally. we would look over this information and see if the pros outweigh the cons in any given situation or problem. In taking this to the next level, we can forgo the words pros and cons if you would like. So the left side of the paper would be for the current situation and the right-hand side for a change. For the sake of explaining, the decision you are weighing is whether to accept a job offer or stay where you are.

Take the first item on your “change” list and weigh it against every item on the “current” side. The change item is: no longer working remotely. Ask yourself which is more important? Go down the list of your current job or situation…

CURRENT CHANGE
Working remote – Going into the office
Working 12 hours a day
Working in my pajamas
No hope for growth

You could decide that it is worth going into the office if the position had growth but it is more important to stay working in your pajamas. You will continue to go down the list of the change column measuring against your current situation.

Pulling It All Together

At the end of this exercise, you will certainly have a lot more clarity of what is most important to you. Learning how to weigh options is a good skill to have. For some people, choosing between one thing or another, or knowing what is right for them, can be overwhelming. So, having a list like this, seeing it in black and white in front of you, can help dwindle down those things that don’t really matter in the decision-making. The pressure comes off, and we can put something like this together without that stress.

If you have questions about this system or becoming clear on decisions, sign up for your free, no-strings-attached session.

Do you have a way of making decisions? Please share below.