Don’t Overreact… Don’t Underreact: 5 Keys for Complicated Decisions by Nicole Lance
The second I knocked on my boss’s door, he’d look up and ask me two questions before allowing me to speak. “Are you overreacting?” Then, after a pause for my consideration and response, “Are you underreacting?” Steeped in my own impatience (and probably self-importance), I found it annoying at first. Over time, however, these have become two of the most important questions I ask myself to keep me on track in my business and in my life. Am I overreacting? Am I underreacting?
Difficult decisions don’t wait for perfect conditions. They don’t care about pro and con lists, they’re unconcerned with how much is still on that to-do list, and they’re not worried about time constraints. They need to be made when they need to be made. Whether it’s making time for your side hustle, calling a shot in a corporate environment, navigating a tough call in a resource-starved nonprofit, or dealing with the relentless stream of judgment calls required for running a household and fulfilling caretaking responsibilities, there are times when you’ve got to settle on a plan of action regardless of time, information, and resources constraints.
In order to identify the course of action that is an aligned response, I need to make sure I’m not overreacting and I’m also not underreacting. When I find myself needing to move to action when the decision is complicated and priorities are competing, I rely on these 5 key questions to steer me in the right direction:
What decision is of highest value and also most strategic? I often think of this as HVMS – highest value, most strategic. Sometimes that translates to “have mess” in my head. When I’m considering my options, if I take into account what is of high value in terms of action and also what is a strategic step to take that might make things easier for future me, it helps drive clarity.
Is there a step I can take that is an investment, not just an expense? I consider my outlays of time, energy, or resources as investments that might have returns for me instead of pure expenses. Identifying an action step that will lead to something else that might also be helpful in return helps me more clearly balance the competing components of the decision I’m facing.
What worked for me when balancing considerations in previous decisions? Sure, I may not have faced this exact same situation before, but I’ve made other tough calls. What tactics, strategies, and considerations did I use in those circumstances that I can borrow for this predicament?
Regardless of potential outcome, is this decision aligned with who I am and how I want to show up in this situation? This is a variation of asking if the decision you’re making is aligned with your values. I prefer to contrast my decision with the vision I have in my head of the person I want to be and how I want to show up in the world. If what I’m about to do is something that matches with that, it’s one more affirmation that I’m moving in the right direction.
What is my situation-specific definition of a “best decision?” When stakes are high and time is short, it may not be possible to make the type of decision you’d like to make in the way you typically prefer to make it. Adjusting your expectation of what’s possible for you to make a “best” decision helps temper your self-critique and can help you maintain objectivity when evaluating your actions and the subsequent outcomes.
I like spaciousness when making decisions. I prefer thoroughly thought-out considerations with plenty of alternatives, feedback, and input. I also know this is often a complete impossibility when balancing the demands of work and life! Relying on these 5 key questions is a surefire way to help me get grounded, drive clarity, and ultimately come up with a decision where I’m confident I’m not overreacting and I’m not underreacting, either.
Nicole Lance is living her boldest, most fiercely free life and loves helping her clients do the same. Leaving a 13-year career to launch her business with a newborn still at home, she now speaks and facilitates across North America. When she’s not writing or working with clients, Nicole is busy trying not to step on the Lego bricks her daughter leaves hidden in the carpet. Learn more at www.nicolelance.co.