How to Make Conscious Decisions: 3 Dimensions to Consider
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How many decisions have you made today? It is eight in the morning on a Saturday, and I have already decided on which tea I am drinking, the clothes and accessories I am wearing, what I had for breakfast, the priorities for the day, if I needed to wash my hair or not, and which yoga flow was the most appropriate.
Some of those decisions are semi-automatic. I usually have the same kind of tea and breakfast on Saturdays. Other decisions, like the priorities for the day, I had to take time to think about and prioritize the never-ending list of things to do.
Making conscious choices is the process of combining awareness, acceptance, and a decision-making methodology for both short and long term projects or goals. It means deciding in the present moment without the burden of past or future fears.
Increasing our awareness and acceptance helps us decrease stress levels usually caused by judgment. And when we move away from stress, we can access more sources of information and higher levels of energy to use to make conscious decisions.
“No problem can be solved from the same level of thinking that created it.” Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist
How come making decisions is sometimes so difficult?
As leaders we are making decisions every day all day long. We are paid and rewarded to make decisions – at least on paper. Yet, there is still a large number of “leaders” who are so afraid of making decisions they keep shifting responsibility to other people or teams.
Their position of not taking responsibility or accountability for important decisions is not justified but it is understood. In many places there is a disconnect between the verbal message – we expect leaders to make decisions – and how people are compensated – we pay and reward them for the “right” decisions. People are afraid to decide because, in many cases, they do not know the answer to the test – what if I make the “wrong” decision and I get punished? Survival brain at its best!
Our brain is conditioned to choose based on the past. It serves to protect us and preserve life. We all learned in different ways to move away from danger: not to cross the street when cars are coming, run from a stranger in a dark alley, or to not eat something that smells rotten.
In a prior post I wrote how we cannot make any mistakes. We only know something is a “mistake” after we have additional information. But unless we take that “wrong” decision we will never have that additional feedback. This is a crucial concept in the equation of conscious decision-making.
Imagine you are selected to lead a new initiative at work. You need to decide how to approach the task at hand, who will be involved, what other activities may need to pause, how much money to spend, etc.
Now envision how freeing it would be if you could do your research, obtain input from other experts, and access your intuition without having to worry about a similar past experience that did not go as expected, or being afraid that “you will make a mistake.”
How great it would be to treat the initiative with curiosity, as an experiment! You can assess each outcome vs. the initial expectation and make any modifications based on the results. Think of the range of great solutions that may come from that approach.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist
How can we shift to make conscious decisions?
Dr. Bruce Schneider, founder of The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), created a concept called holographic thinking. This method entails three dimensions to consider when making decisions.
The first dimension is logic. This is where we analyze a situation through assessing the facts by using our mind in a linear and scientific manner. This is where research and obtaining input from experts help us determine if “it makes sense”.
The second dimension is emotion. Here we look at a situation by examining how we are feeling about it. When we use this approach, we want to see what would be most enjoyable or how the decision may impact other people.
The third dimension is intuition. This is instinctive knowledge that cannot be explained. We are looking to see what our gut tells us. Here we can use the sage power of navigation. It is helpful to visualize yourself one, five, ten, twenty years from now pondering on each decision and see how each option “sits with you”.
Bringing all three dimensions together
Imagine that you receive an offer to work for one year with an expert in your field located far from where you are currently residing. Here are some thoughts that come to mind for each of the aspects of holographic thinking.
Logic: This is a fantastic opportunity. I will progress much faster; this is the chance of a lifetime. I would be working with the number one expert in my field.
Emotion: I’m excited about it. I am not sure if I will like being away from my friends and family. I hear that my new mentor is demanding and not always nice.
Intuition: Every time I think about working with this person one year from now, something feels uneasy. Yes, I would gain a lot of expertise. But my values do not aligned with some of this expert’s work ethics. That does not sit well with me.
“The answers to all questions lie within us, and we know more than we think we know.” iPEC Core Foundation Principle
One more thing before you go
All our decisions have all three dimensions of logic, emotion, and intuition. Even the most rational among us have these three elements when making decisions. It is a matter of how balanced or considered each aspect is.
Analytical people will give logic more importance than intuition. Unsystematic people may consider intuition above everything else. The key is having an equilateral triangle where all sides have the same measure.
When making decisions we may have a lot of information, but we will not have all the information. We do not have working crystal balls. When we consider the three dimensions of holographic thinking, we are making a conscious decision. The results will be those that we need at that moment in our lives to influence the next decision we will make.
Use this tool for relevant, significant decisions. We do not need holographic thinking to decide which tea or coffee flavor to have this afternoon. We will use it, though, to decide if we take that job offer, move in together with that person, or relocate to another city or country.
What do you take into consideration when making important decisions? Please, let us know in the comments.
Sources: The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC); Positive Intelligence
As a leadership coach, I enable talent to achieve bold goals with high standards. My mission is to empower underrepresented women in the financial industry transition from mid to senior level leadership positions using mental fitness to achieve peak performance, peace of mind, and healthier relationships.