Decision making is the most critical cognitive skill that we all have. Our ability to reason and make informed conclusions help us decide how, if and when we are to act on anything. In fact, decision making by definition contains the ability for us to make a purposeful selections from amidst a set of alternatives. We have to constantly negotiate mental objects and concepts to arrive at our process of living. Our ability to do this and do it well affects us on every level; personally, within our relationships and as leaders of organizations. Without well honed decision making skills there is no accurate planning or coordinating, no ability to control situations as we experience them. It’s like being adrift on a stormy sea with no sail or rudder.

The blistering pace of our society makes decision making harder than ever. We have information bearing down on us like a weight that only increases in intensity over time. The phone, the e-mail, the faxes and the text messages alone are the sources of continuous disturbance and tremendous time gaps in our day. Not to mention magazines, newspaper and internet surfing. When are we ever actually productive? When do we have time to sit and think and make personal decisions that lead us to finding our own voice? Why does it seem that most of us are lost?

The very roles that each of us play in our lives are continuously changing and making it extremely difficult to move forward in a meaningful way. Today the very idea of the “good father” has so many angles and gets confused with so many varying and opposing ideas that it’s not a far stretch to say that no one actually knows what “it” is. It’s the same with every other role that we play in life. In fact the child raising strategies and basic life skills of our parents are not likely to work for us in the current age. We need to get back to basic and timeless principles and away from the media driven frenzy that has taken over the very way that we live today. We all need to focus on a vision driven decision making model.

Key characteristics of vision based decision making (VBDM)

There are three key components of VBDM. Each of these three components are absolute. If any one of these components is missing then you have a broken decision making model that will drain resources from you and your organization. I know that your waiting so here goes. Each VBDM that you’ve made or will make has these three components speed, focus and truth.

You will find that as you engage more and more in mission based thinking, it becomes easy to make decisions quickly and improve the accuracy of your outcome predictions. Most would agree that the quality of life itself rests heavily on ones ability to make good choices about beliefs and how to actually conduct the activities of daily living. That being said, it stands to reason that being able to negotiate a fast and accurate decision making model will quicken the pace towards achievement of all kinds. What actually happens is that your decision making muscle gets stronger and more toned the more you engage it correctly. You’ll naturally become more confident and comfortable as you move yourself forward. Decisions will become easier and easier as your vision moves into ever clearer focus and see yourself reaching the finish line with an increasing energy and intensity. You’ll find that when you come to a cross road along life’s journey and a legitimate decision has to made as to which way to go, you’ll have the intestinal fortitude and confident resolve to move on through or to make the appropriate turn more often than not because your final destination will be in focus.

When you engage in VBDM your reticular activator is trained to pay attention to that which needs attention and not the things that take you off track or drain your resources. The universe of your own making will actually call into focus more often things that you should pay attention to and help you navigate the shark infested waters of this age of information. You’ll be so focused that every step you take towards your goal is a rewarding and empowering action that you see as success every time you engage. I call this “righteous action” and it’s how we all should move and negotiate life. It guarantees focus and creates the reason for much needed momentum.

Finally VBDM represents the fundamental truth of who you are. It defines your very existence in many ways and is at once all encompassing, like the air that we breathe and the same time it radiates from us influencing and helping others. You’ll find that the truth of your positions and their inherent wisdom will attract and assist others in their own personal walk of life. People around you will begin to see you as a leader as you model the behavior that your vision dictates and experience the success that comes from the synergy of needs and desires fulfilled.

So great will be your experience of winning that you will feel your sense of self and mission growing with each stage as you achieve your goals. This boost of confidence acts like the initial thrusters of a rocket ship as it helps to break through the atmosphere into outer space.