Decision making: How to do it

Do you have an idea of how you take your decision? Is it purely rational or does it involve emotions too?

Being an engineer, I always thought that my decisions were pure fact-based. That my mind used "#algorithms" and other fancy calculations to provide me with the best answer possible. So not true!

In all honesty, one would have to be a robot to never emotions try to take control in the decision-making process. Emotions can run high when it comes to financial stability and cloud our ability to see a clear picture, thus making us take risks.

Not only internal factors play a role in the way you think. Even if you are able to take out your feelings out of the decision, other outside influences can make an emotional impact as well.

When you are working towards your goals (you are, aren't you?), you should surround yourself with people who inspire you to rise to the next level. People who will encourage you, challenge you, help you. People that understand the business you are doing and have done it successfully before. True mentors help not only with the decision-making process and numbers but also emotionally.

Bounce your decision off people who are unafraid of calling you out on a potential emotional decision. Someone that brings you back to reality if needed. Network with like-minded people who have gone through the trials and errors before. Their opinions hold great value.

While families and friends may indeed have their best interests in mind, sometimes their best interests are focused in the wrong area. They may not want you to work so hard on a dream as they were disappointed in the past following their own. Or they have fear about the areas you are looking at developing..totally out of their comfort zone.

So what? It is THEIR comfort zone and not yours. So listen to yourself, go and do it!

Is there an effective way of deciding? You will certainly find many articles and books describing methods.

My opinion? Just follow your guts.

What is YOUR method?