“It is your decision, and not your conditions, that determine your destiny.” – Anthony Robbins

Our everyday life is deeply tied to every decision we make. Even in trivial things such as choosing what clothes to wear to work or what food to have for lunch, it all takes decision-making to fulfil your needs and satisfaction. Likewise, a neuroscientist, Moran Cerf, believed that decision-making is essentially needed to make the most important choice in your life. As a decision can determine your success, you need to be careful with what you decide. It is one of the keys to achieving a mindful and satisfying living. A manager, for example, needs to decide the right strategy before taking certain action if he wants to make a happier working environment.

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How is a decision linked to our brain?

Cerf in his study mentioned that a decision is linked to our brain which in turn control our emotion or action. For example, despite knowing that you are in a tight budget, your mind tells you that you need to satisfy your tongue. So, you decide to eat in a very luxurious restaurant. It turns out that the food was really delicious and you feel satisfied with the service. It brings joy to your day that you feel it is not a waste at all to eat “a bit costly”. Thanks to your decision, it leads to you having a good mood that can brighten up your whole day.  

Following the statements above, Michael Platt in his study also agreed that our brain is the one which is responsible for making the most decisions we take. His research revealed that the more we understand about the mechanism in the brain that influences the decision-making process, the more we could make better decisions.

It is also important for an individual to both understand and exercise their brain to create better decisions. While for organisations, satisfactory decisions can lead to improved productivity and higher motivation for employees.

So, how do we train our brain to make a better decision?

A very good answer is by surrounding yourself with good and mindful people. Your circle is the biggest influencer to how your life and choice is shaped. Platt and Cerf agreed that the kinds of choices we make are influenced by the people around us. The people you hang out with are actually impacting your choices of decisions – and the more you hang out with them, the more you align your thoughts with them. In other words, you will be more alike to whom you surround yourself with, Cerf said. Therefore, in order to make a better decision, you need to change how you think by gathering with a more positive and mindful person.

Lastly, another study suggested that involving yourself in decision-making tasks such as problem-solving exercises can also sharpen your decision-making skills. The more exercises you take, the more solution and insights you will get. Thusly, when you are faced with the same problem in a real context, you can calculate the best decision to take.

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