WHAT IS A GOOD DECISION?
Imagine I offered to play a game with you. You give me $1 and I flip a two-sided coin. If the coin lands heads, I give you $50. If it lands tails, you lose. You get nothing. What should you do?
Obviously, you should be feeding me dollars like I’m a goddamn vending machine selling free money. The downside risk ($1) is minimal and the potential upside ($50) is huge. There is no situation where you should NOT take me up on my offer.
A good decision is risking little for the opportunity to gain a lot.
Good decisions include: striking up a conversation with someone you find interesting or attractive, asking a potentially embarrassing question, spending 10 minutes meditating every day, filling out job applications for positions that you’re unlikely to get, starting a difficult conversation, etc.
Similarly, a bad decision is risking a lot for the opportunity to gain little.
Bad decisions include: driving unsafely, lying and pretending to be someone you’re not to make people like you, getting drunk or stoned the night before an important meeting or exam, stalking your ex and sending angry text messages through the night to try to get him/her back, etc.
And additional buddy let me tell you that a good decision is one that is made deliberately and thoughtfully, considers and includes all relevant factors, is consistent with the individual's philosophy and values, and can be explained clearly to significant others.