One of the most essential skills that we can improve is our ability to make decisions. For myself, that includes using various methods to make the decision process easier to perform. Some techniques help me to weigh out the pros and cons while other methods allow me to view my decision in a new perspective or to see the bigger picture. Others still provide me with the motivation to act when I would have been too hesitant to do so otherwise.
I want to talk about a specific technique that I use to help me put things into perspective. I refer to it by different names, either the 10 Years Will It Matter Process or the How will I feel when I’m 80 Method. However, regardless of the title, the outcome and purpose are the same. I can use this method If I’m considering making a major decision, for example, relocation to a new state/country, or changing careers, etc. I will ask myself how will I look back on this decision in the future. I use both a short 5-10 years perspective and a longer perspective by imagining myself at 80/end of life. I ask myself, will I regret making/not making this decision when enough time has passed? How will I feel and what are the possible outcomes from this choice?
Personally, I’ve always wanted to become an entrepreneur and to work for myself. By asking these questions, it becomes immediately apparent that I should make an effort to start a business. I realize that when I’m 80, I would feel a great deal of disappointment and regret on the thought of what might have been if I never tried. I would feel ashamed for not even attempting to follow my own path in life. I might also think that I could have done more with the time I was given. Even in the short term, I realize that in 5-10 years, I could be in a completely different place in life. The potential cost is huge if I make an attempt now and follow through compared to postponing my dreams and saying I’ll do it later. This type of analysis helps me to understand what I need to do and is motivating enough to make sure I get it done.
An additional benefit comes from realizing how much could be gained from experiencing the effort. The learning opportunity, even in the face of failure is enormous. Few people want to live a perfectly safe and predictable life, that would be boring, at least I know I don’t. Even if things don’t happen exactly as we envisioned them, there is inherent value to the experience and the knowledge that we gain. If we tried to reach for something greater, even if we fail, no one can say we didn’t try to get the most out of what life has to offer. Unless you experience some genuinely unpredictable and highly unlikely catastrophic disaster, few people look back and think to themselves, I which I never tried that. This is true, especially if you understand what actual risk is and minimize your exposure to it. Trying something is almost always worth the effort because you never know what new adventure it could take you on.
This analysis helps me to I realize that while I still have time, I have to make an honest effort into achieving my goal of becoming an entrepreneur. It will be hard, it will take a long time and a lot of work, but what doesn’t? I’m going to have to step out of my comfort zone, and it will be a little scary. But because I have the big picture, those things that used to hold me back become of little consequence and pale in comparison to how I would feel in the future. I know what I need to do.
Using this thinking won’t guarantee that you will be able to make the best decision or even the outcome of any individual decision. There are a lot of variables, and each choice is being made under a unique condition for every individual. However, sometimes we can get too bogged down in the details, some of which are superficial. The details are essential, but it’s equally important and maybe even more so to keep the big picture in focus. It’s going to be the big picture outcomes that we use to judge ourselves. The details will serve to fill in spots here and there, but the story of our lives will be told from 10000 feet above the ground.
They say that hindsight is 20/20, the problem with hindsight is we can’t use it to help us make decisions now. We can’t go back in time to use any newfound knowledge that our future selves have learned to make better decisions in the past. But by using this method, you can get a little closer to harnessing the power of 20/20. By mentally projecting your mind 10 or more years into the future, you can tap a little bit into the power of 20/20 hindsight. You can get some of those same benefits today.
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