Are you tired of feeling unfulfilled and stuck in your current situation? Do you want to make positive changes in your life but don’t know where to start? Look no further than our Book of the Week: “Choose Better,” written by Timothy Yen, Psy.D. This inspiring read offers practical advice and thought-provoking insights on how to transform your mindset and actions for a more fulfilling life. Get ready to take control of your future and choose better with this must-read book.
The Framework
Timothy Yen, a psychologist, doesn’t sugarcoat anything in this book and reminds us that every decision we make benefits us in some way. Whether it’s indecision or making poor decisions, if it didn’t benefit you, you would stop doing it. He believes that despite the reasons for current choices, we can change for the better. It comes down to accepting responsibility for decisions rather than having a victim mindset over life circumstances.
How do we make better decisions and live better lives?
Dr. Yen has laid out a step-by-step framework to follow in practically any situation where you have to make an optimal decision.
The five steps include:
- Figure out what your feelings are telling you. Emotions are like the check engine light on your car signaling that there’s something important you need to pay attention to. Instead of avoiding emotions, we should ask what those emotions are trying to tell us.
- Identify what matters to you and what you value. When you know what truly matters to you, you have identified your “why.“ If you know why you’re doing something, it’s easier to make better decisions.
- Understand what matters to other people involved. It’s important to remember that our values are not always the same as those involved in different life situations. We all tend to value love, but we may differ in how we want to be loved. Communication is essential, even with those you know well.
- Don’t ignore the facts. Even if something doesn’t make sense to you, if it is reality, you would be better off working with what you know than ignoring the facts and relying on wishful thinking. A great example of an undeniable fact is gravity. If you walk off a cliff, you will be forcefully pulled to the ground. No one wants that.
- Have the courage to overcome barriers and follow through on your decisions. Just knowing what to do will not always mean that it won’t be scary. Having the courage to overcome your fears is where you become an optimal decision-maker.
Each step is like a puzzle piece; they all work together to form a whole.
Final Thoughts
If you want to live your desired life, your decisions are the key. Remember, there are always risks in life, and the only constant is change. There may not always be a perfect solution, but there is always an optimal solution.
I’ve already started implementing Dr. Yen’s framework, and it’s been very illuminating. I can see where my poor decisions could have been improved by changing my perspective. I need to remember values and courage moving forward.
I would love to hear what others think about this framework; leave a comment below!
Thank you for reading!
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Sachi Reads Daily 