How to make important decisions
Three years ago, I bought a wallet online. From the images advertised on the seller’s Amazon page, it looked like the perfect wallet—sleek, slim and stylish.
Two days later, the wallet arrived in the mail. I was giddy with excitement. I eagerly removed it from the box.
Oh.
No.
It was not the wallet of my dreams, after all.
The wallet was too bulky, making it conspicuous in my pocket. The exterior was made of some thick material. It felt more like a brick than a wallet. The interior pockets were stiff and tiny, so bills and cards were sticking out. As if that wasn’t bad enough, everything I put in the wallet came out with a dark stain.
I knew immediately that I had to return the wallet.
There’s always considerable risk in any online transaction. You never truly know what’s going to show up in your mailbox. So, why do we do it? Why is ecommerce projected to climb from 15% to 25% by 2025?
I think it’s partly because many ecommerce platforms offer generous return policies (thanks, Amazon!). A bad decision can be easily undone.
So, the risk of buying a shoe that doesn’t fit right the first time is neutralized by the free exchange policy. So, we take the chance.
When making important decisions, I always ask three critical questions to ask:
What’s the best possible outcome?
What’s the worst possible outcome?
If it doesn’t work out, can the decision be undone?
After getting rid of the clunky wallet, I opted for a new one with a sleek design. Svelte, elegant and smooth to the touch.
Ah, much better.