Make 3 Great Decisions a Day

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein

This might just be the ultimate habit, or meta-habit, to change your life.

One of the best ways to keep improving your work and life is through this one simple habit:

Make 3 great decisions each day.

That’s it.

This is one of the best habits you can develop to really change your life.

By making 3 great decisions each day, you will solve problems better, you will handle challenges better, and you will become a more strategic thinker.

If you don’t make a conscious choice to make better decisions, you can fall into the trap of just doing your routines and habits each day.

This is how people stay stuck or fall behind or don’t make progress.

Success leaders and individuals achieve better results because they don’t keep solving the same problem each day.

They solve problems better by making great decisions and by fixing the problems so that they stay fixed.

Jeff Bezos on How He Makes Amazon’s Highest Stake’s Decisions

As Jeff Bezos wrote for Fast Company:

“You need to be thinking two or three years in advance, and if you are, then why do I need to make a hundred decisions today?

If I make, like, three good decisions a day, that’s enough, and they should just be as high quality as I can make them.

Warren Buffett says he’s good if he makes three good decisions a year, and I really believe that.”

Make 3 good decisions.

That’s it.

It’s a simple concept, but the challenge is to master actually doing it.

The idea is that if Bezos makes good decisions, he won’t have to keep solving the same problems.

His 3 good decisions will potentially have cascading impact.   His decisions could potentially address an issue that impacts multiple areas or aspects.

His 3 good decisions will potentially have compound impact.  His decisions could potentially pay him back by not becoming a repetitive or worse problem in the future.

Fix the Problem So It Stays Fixed

One of Amazon’s Leadership Principles is Insist on the Highest Standards.

To implement this principle, they fix problems, so they stay fixed.

This may very well mean slowing down to speed up.

This may mean taking a short-term him for a long-term benefit.

But when you are making improvements like this each day, you’re saving yourself time and effort in the future.

Examples of Great Decisions You Can Make Each Day

You’ll get better at making better decisions through practice.

You can start small to experience your wins.  For example, I had recurring spam that I was dealing with each time, but I took steps to remove the sources.

The time I took to fix the problem, so it stays fixed, pays me back daily.

Here are some illustrative examples of decisions that you can make that could have cascading and compounding impact on your work and life:

• Decide to face a fear that holds you back.
• Decide to prioritize to spend quality-time with someone.
• Decide to discontinue a bad habit.
• Decide to eat better.
• Decide to improve your character.
• Decide to develop a strategy to overcome a recurring problem.
• Decide to prioritize your values.

Make Decisions You Can Be Proud Of

The bottom line is to make decisions that you can be proud of for taking the time and effort to try your best.

Practice your attitude of gratitude when you reflect on the decisions you make and be grateful for trying.

Will you make bad choices, even while trying to make your 3 great decisions?

If you’re human, yes.

But you’ll also learn and improve and gain experience and that’s how you grow better at work and life.

Sometimes the best decision you can make is to fix a past mistake, even if it’s the toughest path.

This is how people turn around their life and find their way forward.

Call to Action

1. Choose to make 3 great decisions each day.
2. When a recurring problem pops up in your day, take a step back and rethink it.
3. Challenge yourself to make a better decision and to implement a high-quality solution so that fixed stays fixed.

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