Considering a change in your life? According to Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and author of The Happiness Files, you’ll make better decisions if you use his “80% Excitement, 20% Fear and 0% Dread” formula.
Mostly, you should be energized and motivated by the direction you’re contemplating. It just feels so right for you.
It’s also perfectly normal to be a bit fearful, too. After all, you can’t guarantee that your choice will be all that you’re hoping for.
But if you feel any dread at all, don’t do it. Your gut is speaking loudly to you. Maybe you’re not ready. Maybe it’s a bad environment. Maybe it’ll add too much stress to your life.
To make the best choice, it’s important to identify what really matters to you. For example, if I were looking for a new career/job, to be happy, I’d need to be able to:
- Play to my strengths.
- Focus on what’s possible, not just maintaining the status quo.
- Feel like what I’m doing is making a positive difference.
- Experiment with new approaches.
- Feel like I’m part of a community.
- Have technical support for the stuff I can’t deal with.
- Grow in my knowledge & learn from others.
- Be paid an appropriate income.
If I found an option that seemed right, I’d still be scared because you never know … but I’d “gulp” and do it anyway. And I’d throw myself in wholeheartedly.
So, if you’ve got an important decision coming up, take the time to really think it through before you take the leap.
