How to Find Your Best Option

Challenges must be dealt with and here is a technique to help you.

1. Clarify the challenge/outcome – be clear what the challenge is, and what the ideal outcome is
2. Identify 3+ solutions – list at least three – ideally more potential solutions to this challenge
3. ‘Brilliant grades’ – give each of #2’s solutions a grade of A, B or C for how brilliant it is. In other words, how likely it is to achieve #1’s desired outcome
4. ‘Easiness’ grades – similarly for each of #2’s options, grade A/B/C for how easy it is to do
5. Do the (A, A) – now review all your gradings. Your best, easiest option is the one that has or is the closest to-(A, A)

This technique works better that how most people seek solutions, because:

1. It’s east to know the problem; less easy to know your ideal outcome you want
2. It’s easy to think of 1-2 solutions, decide they’re both rubbish, and think there’s nothing to be done. But identifying at least three solutions forces your brain to be more creative
3. It’s too easy to go with the first option we think of. Instead, we should choose the one that is most likely to work…
4. … and easiest to do
5. Which means we end up choosing the best option, not a rubbish one (or just doing nothing)

Action

…identify your current biggest challenge. And use steps 1-5 above. You’re only a few minutes away from having a brilliant, easy solution.

Thanks to Andy Bounds for sharing this insight.