Uncovering the Hidden Drivers of Decision Making
Three Factors that Shape Your Destiny.
“The key to success is taking charge of your life by using pain and pleasure as tools, not letting them control you. When you do that, you’re in control of your destiny. When you don’t, life controls you.” – Tony Robbins
Our lives are defined by the decisions we make every day – good or bad, they shape our destiny. Yet, why do some people make questionable decisions when they know better? It’s not just a matter of self-control, but understanding the driving forces behind decision making.
Every decision we make is driven by our values. We make decisions based on what brings us pleasure and avoid what causes us pain. The need to avoid pain and seek pleasure is what drives all our decisions, and people will go to great lengths to avoid pain. However, the lengths we go to depend on our standards and our focus.
The Power of Self-Awareness
Becoming more self-aware is the first step towards making better decisions. Understanding what drives our decisions helps us take control of our emotions and our lives. There are three surprising factors that drive all the decisions we make.
Your Mindset and Focus
What we focus on drives our decisions like nothing else can. Will we make decisions based on fear, or focus on positivity, hope, and love? Tony explains that every moment of our lives, we’re answering three crucial questions. The first question is, what are we going to focus on? To make better decisions, we must shift our focus to what we can control. Do we focus on the past, present, or future? To enjoy the present moment and create a better future, we must balance between present and future, but let go of the past.
The second question is, what meaning will we give to this experience? Is this the end or the beginning? Is this a punishment or a gift? Meaning defines the third question: What am I going to do with this experience? The way we choose to experience life drives our decisions.
Your Standards and Beliefs
Many people think that self-control is the key to making better decisions. However, studies have shown that self-control is either hardwired or not, and it can be depleted. Therefore, self-control is not as reliable as our standards. Higher standards lead to better decision making. By raising our standards or shifting our beliefs and values, we can make better choices.
When faced with a decision – simple or complex – we often know what the right choice is, but we choose differently based on our standards. To write that report, grab that cookie – or not – depends on how high our standards are.
Your Hunger for Success
What drives decision making is also linked to the level of hunger we have. Those who are determined to succeed have a hunger for success, and they make better decisions because their standards are high. It’s not self-control, but their high standards that push them forward.
Achievers use failure as a catalyst to push through, rather than letting it hold them back. On the other hand, those who blame their failures on lack of self-control do not have the same hunger or high level of values to push through.
However, these values can be learned. By consciously evaluating what drives our decisions, we can change our standards and values to better serve our lives and shape our destiny.
