FAQ: What is the Right Decision for Me?

A Message from Penny Forward Founder and CEO, Chris Peterson

Several conversations over the holidays have made me reflect on how scary and isolating being blind can be for many of us, and how exhausting and difficult it can be to make even the most minor decisions. I don’t think we truly realize how many risks we take each day and how many risk-avoidance strategies we use. These aren’t just the big, life-altering decisions—they’re also the smaller, everyday ones that pile up and weigh us down.

Take clothing choices, for example. Does this outfit look good or not? Some people say they love it, others say it looks silly. Does it ultimately matter? Maybe, or maybe not. But if we look silly, we risk being made fun of, which hurts pretty bad. Worse, it might mean losing out on meeting our next romantic partner or landing our next job. The truth is, almost any fashion choice can be done poorly or well. There are even those who’ve made an art form out of ridiculous fashion choices! The fear, however, remains deeply personal—and exhausting.

Now, let’s consider how we travel. Walking, taking public transit, using a rideshare service, or avoiding travel altogether by having things delivered all come with risks. If we walk, it might take too long, we might get lost, or we might get tired and not be able to make it back. Public transit has its challenges too. What if we miss our bus or train or, worse, a connection in an unfamiliar area? Rideshares aren’t without their problems either, especially for guide dog users who can face multiple driver denials in a single day. I have to admit, to avoid the anxiety of making these decisions, I’ve leaned on online shopping far more than I’d like.

The point is, fear is a major motivator in these relatively minor decisions. One friend recently shared that he’s been forcing himself to attend Meetup events to combat the isolation caused by his fears. So far, he’s happy with the results, but it’s not easy to push through that initial fear.

Then there are the big decisions. These are the ones that can feel paralyzing because the stakes seem so high. And for many of us, these major decisions are financial. Should I invest in a business that could drastically improve my life, but might fail and leave my family struggling? Should I buy a house in a quiet, safe neighborhood, or rent an apartment that is easier to afford in a “sketchy” area? Should I put money into the stock market, or will I lose everything and end up in trouble?

We’re even afraid of how people will judge us for these decisions. Social media has made it painfully clear how harsh and unforgiving public opinion can be. So, what do we do?

Practical Resources for Decision-Making

The internet is full of advice on how to handle these dilemmas. Here are some great resources:

• How to Make a Difficult Decision A deeper dive into the psychology of decision-making, offering tools to break down the process into manageable steps.
• 4 Simple Rules For How to Make a Big Decision This article provides a structured approach to making significant decisions, emphasizing clarity and alignment with personal values.
• Why Am I So Indecisive? 10 Methods to Help You Make Decisions This resource helps address the paralysis many of us feel when faced with too many options or too much uncertainty.
• Fear of Making Decisions: Why it Happens & How to Overcome An exploration into the fear of making wrong choices, providing insights and strategies to overcome this common challenge.

Common Traps to Avoid

When it comes to decision-making, there are some common traps that can make the process even harder:

• Analysis Process Paralysis: This is when you get stuck going over the same information again and again, afraid of making the wrong choice.
• Decision Precision Paralysis: Here, instead of reviewing the same information, you keep finding new questions and diving into new possibilities, which can feel endless.
• Risk Uncertainty Paralysis: This happens when you want to eliminate all uncertainty but can’t, leaving you paralyzed.
• Extinction by Instinct: This is the opposite problem—making careless decisions without proper planning, often out of frustration.
• Information Overload: When there’s too much information to process, it becomes harder to make rational decisions. Psychologists call this the “illusion of knowledge,” where too much data interferes with our ability to choose wisely.

Steps for Better Decision-Making

To make better decisions, it’s crucial to find balance. Here’s one framework that’s particularly helpful:

The GOFER Method: In the 1980s, psychologist Leon Mann and colleagues developed the GOFER decision-making process based on extensive research with psychologist Irving Janis. The method is summarized in the book Teaching Decision Making to Adolescents. GOFER is an acronym for five decision-making steps:

1. Goals Clarification: Identify your values and objectives. What do you truly want?
2. Options Generation: Think of all the possible alternatives, even the ones that might initially seem far-fetched.
3. Facts-Finding: Gather information to support your options.
4. Consideration of Effects: Weigh the pros and cons of each option carefully.
5. Review and Implementation: Choose a course of action and plan how to execute it.

The key is to strike a balance between extremes. Get input from others, but not too much. Do your research, but don’t overdo it. Take your time, but don’t let fear keep you stuck indefinitely. And most importantly, be willing to be wrong, but don’t aim to be wrong.

Closing Thoughts

Every decision, no matter how well thought out, has the potential to lead to an outcome you’ll love or one you’ll dread. But every outcome teaches you something valuable. As for me, I’m learning every day from the decisions I’ve made—both good and bad—and I’m choosing to keep moving forward. You’ve got this too, and I hope these resources and reflections help you take the next step, whatever it may be.

Happy New Year,

Chris Peterson
Founder and CEO, Penny Forward