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A Better Framework to Make Smart Decisions

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A perfectly good decision that seems like the most rational choice at the moment can turn out to be a disaster later. We aren’t intentionally stupid or try to make bad decisions. Most of the time we jump to a conclusion and stick to it because we lack a framework to make better decisions. We fail to realize that good decision-making simply boils down to eliminating bad choices and that requires asking good questions.

Making consistently high-quality decisions isn’t reserved for a few talented people who are born with the art of decision-making. It’s a skill that can be learned. Learning to ask the right questions will profoundly enhance the success of all your future decision-making by preventing you from making choices you end up regretting.

1. Am I stating the problem correctly? 

How you frame the problem statement and what you wish to achieve from the decision can make all the difference. Stating the problem by assuming a certain solution, starting with assumptions, or missing the larger problem by trying to fix the symptoms will always lead to a wrong decision. Identify if your question is biased towards a specific solution or starts with certain assumptions. Make sure you are addressing the right problem. 

2. Is this decision reversible or irreversible? 

We make thousands of decisions throughout the day and not each one of our decisions deserves our equal attention. While low-consequence reversible decisions can be made real quick, it’s the high-consequence irreversible decisions that must be made with extra care. 

Jeff Bezos explains this in his 2015 annual shareholder letter “Some decisions are consequential and irreversible or nearly irreversible – one-way doors – and these decisions must be made methodically, carefully, slowly, with great deliberation and consultation. If you walk through and don’t like what you see on the other side, you can’t get back to where you were before. We can call these Type 1 decisions. But most decisions aren’t like that – they are changeable, reversible – they’re two-way doors. If you’ve made a suboptimal Type 2 decision, you don’t have to live with the consequences for that long. You can reopen the door and go back through.”

Separate reversible from irreversible decisions to determine the process, time, energy, and strategy you need to apply to make that decision.

3. How important is this decision to me and why?

Knowing why the decision matters to you or how a wrong decision can impact you can be a powerful motivator to re-examine your process. It can make you look beyond obvious and easy options to the other choices that may seem hard at first but are more promising and better suited to your problem. Identify your stake in the decision and ask yourself why you really care about the right decision. Disconnect your identity from your idea and focus on actually making the right decision. Because what matters in the end is making the right decision and not you being right.

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” – Tony Robbins

4. What costs am I willing to pay to delay this decision?

Delaying decision-making is one of the most common tactics to avoid facing our real fears. Fear is a very real feeling and left unattended it can wreak havoc in our lives. Fear can make us imagine the worst possible scenarios that are highly unlikely and use them as an excuse for inaction. 

Getting stuck with analysis-paralysis by looking up more and more information or avoiding the decision with the fear of making a wrong one can prevent you from grabbing the right opportunities at the right time. The cost of indecision is often higher than the cost of making a wrong decision.

Get rid of unwanted fears that might hold you back by defining them. Compare the cost of delaying the decision to the worst that can happen. Then, set yourself a reasonable date to make a decision and work backward from it to actually complete it in time. 

5. What are the different alternatives?

With confirmation bias at play, we interpret and selectively gather data to fit our beliefs while rejecting other plausible alternatives. Asking this question sets the expectation that there’s more than one possible solution. It will open you to the idea of exploring alternative explanations. 

Annie Duke, a former professional poker player and author of Thinking in Bets, writes in her book “What makes a decision great is not that it has a great outcome. A great decision is the result of a good process, and that process must include an attempt to accurately represent our own state of knowledge. That state of knowledge, in turn, is some variation of I’m not sure.”

Instead of trying to make a decision where you are 100% sure, embrace uncertainty. Evaluate different options based on the probability that a specific outcome will occur. Include others’ opinions. Your experience and knowledge of those around you will determine the accuracy of your evaluations. 

6. How will this decision look in the future?

Most of the time we think just one step ahead and make a decision without evaluating the potential impact of our decision way into the future. We try to optimize for a small gain in the present while ignoring the potential downsides of this decision in the future.

By understanding the consequences of your decision, you can rid yourself of choices that you will regret later. By factoring your future into your decision process and visualizing how the decision will play out, you can avoid the avoidable.

Once you include these questions into your decision-making process, you will notice a tremendous improvement in the quality of your decisions. While mastering them and building upon them will take practice, noticing subtle changes in your thought process that these questions invoke will help you make even better decisions.

Vinita Bansal is the founder of TechTello. She has a vast amount of experience in the technology space building large engineering teams from the ground up and leading products with massive scale impacting millions of customers. She is also the author of Upgrade Your Mindset: How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs and Tap Your Potential. Her experience and knowledge have helped her coach and mentor people from diverse backgrounds to build the skills and support required to grow in their careers and feel confident to take on higher-level responsibilities within their organizations. Connect with her on Twitter @techtello.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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