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Decisions

How to make a decision when you are torn

Being torn usually means both options are genuinely good and you are trying to avoid a loss rather than find a win. Name the loss you can carry, and the choice resolves.

What to actually weigh

01

You are choosing a loss, not a gain

When both options are good, the deciding factor is which downside you can live with on a bad day, not which upside sounds better on a good one.

02

Test with the coin

Flip one, and notice the half-second of relief or disappointment before you think. That reaction is information you already had.

03

Ask what you would tell a friend

People are markedly clearer about decisions that belong to someone else. The distance strips out the fear of being the one responsible.

Frequently asked

How do I decide when both options are good?

Stop comparing upsides — they will stay close. Compare the two downsides and pick the one you would resent less in a year.

Should I trust my gut when making a decision?

Gut is fast pattern-matching on experience you have, which makes it reliable in familiar territory and unreliable in new. Weight it by how often you have been here before.

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