7. Quick Decision Making Hack

Got a decision to make?

Afraid of regret?

Listen to this mini episode for a quick hack.

• View Transcript

  Hey, it's Sarah Arnold-Hall, and you're listening to How to Take Action.

  This is gonna be a mini episode, which I think is funny because my episodes are kind of mini anyway. I know some people do like 40 minute episodes, but I can't talk for that long, nonstop. I definitely don't plan my podcast to be that long. So we'll see how long this one goes for today, but I think it's just gonna be a mini one about regret.

  Because so often we are not taking action because we're afraid of what we're going to regret.

  Something that really helps me make decisions is that there are two different kinds of regrets. Psychologists have kind of distilled that there's hot regret and there's cold regret. And hot regret means regretting something that you did do. So you took an action and now you regret doing it. And cold regret is regretting something that you didn't do.

  So you didn't, you decided not to do something and you regret it. You wish you had done it. Psychologists say that cold regret is gonna mess you up way more. Cold regret is going to be far more horrible to experience than hot regret. So doing something that you regret, making a mistake or thinking that you shouldn't have done something, that doesn't actually stay with you for that long. You can get over it. You know, you made a mistake, but not doing something missing out on an opportunity when you know that you could have had it, that sits with people for much longer, and I think that that's so key when you make decisions. So I just wanted to put this out as a little juicy decision making help today.

  Whatever decision you're trying to make right now, put it through the hot regret, cold regret question, and ask yourself, am I more likely to regret doing this or not doing this?

  It's probably that you're gonna regret not doing it. That's the most likely thing. That's what psychologists are saying, but maybe not.

  Just ask yourself right now. Are you more likely to regret doing it or not doing it?

  All right. That is today's mini episode, and I will talk to you next week.

  Hey, if you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you're gonna love being coached by me. We're gonna solve your specific action taking struggles so you can hit any goal you set.

  Just go to saraharnoldhall.com to sign up.