Why people decide for themselves less often than they think
And how self-determined deciding shows.
By Katharina Beer, decision architect ·
An offer comes in, and first three opinions are gathered. A study says this, an expert says that, the majority does it this way, and the norm demands something else.
The basic problemIn the end the decision is made, and it remains open whose it was.
My observation: people rarely truly decide for themselves. Deliberately taking time and engaging with oneself costs effort and is hard. Whoever has decided the same way all their life barely recognises hindering patterns.
The biggest mistake
The biggest mistake lies in believing that others know better. Experts, studies, the masses and norms give orientation, and yet none of it applies a hundred percent to everyone. None of it is right for every person.
The key statementThe best decisions for a person can only be made by that person.
Everything else is impulses, offers and possibilities, and the decision stays with the individual.
How self-determined deciding shows
It shows in life: in the quality of relationships, in how happy a person is and in how clear they are in their goals. Where points of friction arise, there lies the room for development.