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Decision-Making: Right Mind, Right Questions, Right People
By Monte Wilson

Part 1: Right Mind

It always baffles me when people make major decisions for their lives while being depressed. Uh, what sort of goals will be set or decisions made in such a state of mind? “I hate myself, my life (sobbing, in fetal position) … I am going to die here if I do not do something else, anything else (retching) … o well, (fondling razor blade) … I will go do this.”

This reminds me of the guy who feared he was being followed by a couple of thugs, so began running up the stairs of the train station. He was terrified of the consequences, should he be caught. As he ran, he kept looking behind himself: are they catching up, how many men are there … and, not looking where he was going, he ran out in front of a speeding car and was killed.

Right Mind

The best decisions, the decisions you can live with for the rest of your life, should be made in the best frame of mind possible.

While you may not be in a situation where you can attain a sense of empowerment—of faith, hope and love—you can at least get to a place where you are neutral. By neutral, I do not mean feeling blah or dead to all feelings, but, rather, a state of calmness.

How do you get yourself into a proper state of mind?

Go for a long walk in the sunlight: twenty-minutes in the sun releases endorphins

Listen to uplifting music, watch an inspiring movie, or a comedy that leaves you belly laughing

Get out of bed, off the couch and walk around, reflecting on all those decisions you have made in your past that, over time, left you quite satisfied. How did you make the decision? What was the process? What was your state of mind? reeeememmmmberrrrr

Think back on those times in your life when all was black, you made some wise decisions, and the light reappeared.

Go do something enjoyable: spend time at the beach, take a walk in the park, or maybe sip a glass of wine at the Ritz Carlton.

Speaking of Right Mind: Evaluate the matrix through which you run your decisions. How long has it been since it was updated and refined? Have you ever taken the matrix apart to see what all is in there? Most people developed their matrix unconsciously: some values from mom and dad, a belief from the First Grade teacher, an attitude toward life from a song sung by Rolling Stones, a mindset shaped by their breakup with their first true love … all of which are used to “inform” and guide their decisions, usually even more so than their well-thought out theological systems. And because they are clueless as to what all is in their matrix, they are clueless as to The How or The Why of either their success or failures in decision-making.