Are you a thinker or a feeler?
Thinkers tend to approach opportunities presented to them in a more rational, calculated way. This is powerful for making the best choice out of a range of options.
Feelers tend to tap into their heart, which is a great way for ensuring their choices are aligned with their principles.
My approach?
Be both.
Combine the power of your brain & heart. Here’s a checklist I use that ensures both of them are heard before making a decision.
1) How well does it pay?
This taps more into the rational side and speaks to needs like security and comfort.
2) Does it excite me?
This speaks to the heart – envision yourself in the position you’ll be in after saying yes to the opportunity. Is there a sense of positive excitement? This speaks to our need for novelty.
3) Would I do it if money didn’t play a role?
Again, one that leans more into the heart and a great question to ask and figure out if it aligns with your purpose.
4) What must I sacrifice for this? (lower score = more sacrifice)
This one is for the rational side, enabling you to put things in perspective and look at how this outcome fits into your big picture.
5) Does it contribute to more than myself?
This one is both thinking and feeling. I think it’s important to make an impact on the world that extends beyond yourself. This has both rational, self-serving reasons (what goes around comes around) as well as more emotional, community-centered motivations. We rise by uplifting others.
6) Will I develop myself?
This one’s for the thinking part and prompts you to look at the details of the presented opportunity and visualize your learning path in it.
7) Will I regret not doing it?
Regret is a powerful negative emotion, and this question aims to ensure you won’t feel it by considering it pre-emptively. Is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or is it a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
I think about each question on a scale, and give answers in the form of a 1 to 10 rating.
My minimum threshold for considering an opportunity is a total score of 50 out of 70. You decide yours – as well as which questions to ask yourself.
Actionable advice for this week: create your checklist for important decisions.
Include questions that speak to both your brain and your heart. Decide on a threshold an opportunity must pass to be considered. Then use it when you’re presented with a difficult choice. Whatever you do, make sure that your head AND your heart are satisfied after.
🧠 + 💓 = 🚀