I used to waste so much energy on tiny decisions.
What to eat for breakfast. Which workout to do. What to work on first. It sounds silly but this indecision would drain me before my day even started. It was a symptom of a bigger problem. Back when I was stuck in a cycle of binge eating gaming and laziness I felt paralyzed. I lacked direction. If I couldn't decide on the small things how could I possibly tackle the big things like losing over 110 pounds or quitting my bad habits for good?
Making decisions is like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets. But you need good form. That’s where frameworks come in. They aren’t rigid rules. They are mental shortcuts that help you cut through the noise and move forward. They helped me stop overthinking and start doing.
Here are 20 simple frameworks you can use to make better decisions faster.
For Fast Everyday Choices
These are for the small stuff. The goal here isn't to find the perfect answer. It's to make a good enough choice quickly and save your brainpower for what truly matters.
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The 2-Minute Rule. If making the decision and doing the task takes less than two minutes just do it. Don't add it to a list. Don't think about it. Just get it done.
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The "Heck Yes or No" Rule. When faced with an opportunity if your first reaction isn't "Heck Yes!" then it's a "No." This clears your plate for the things you're truly excited about.
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Satisficing. Don't look for the absolute best option. Look for the first option that meets your criteria. This is the opposite of maximizing. It's about finding what’s "good enough" and moving on. Perfect for choosing a restaurant or a movie.
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The Coin Flip. When you have two equal options assign one to heads and one to tails. Flip a coin. The key is to notice your gut reaction when the coin is in the air or when it lands. Often your heart knows what it wants. The coin just reveals it.
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The Two-Way Door. Ask yourself: "Is this decision reversible?" If you can easily go back it's a two-way door. Make the choice quickly. If it's irreversible (a one-way door) then you should slow down and use one of the more thoughtful frameworks below.
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The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle). Which 20% of your options will give you 80% of the results you want? Focus on that 20%.
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The Annoyance Review. What is the most annoying thing on your to-do list? Do that first. Getting it out of the way creates huge momentum.
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The Buffet Method. Pick one thing. You don't have to eat everything at the buffet to be full. You don't have to do everything on your list to be productive. Just pick one thing and start.
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The "What Would [Mentor] Do?" Test. Think of someone you admire. A boss a parent a historical figure. What would they do in your situation? This helps you step outside your own head.
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The Single Criteria Focus. Instead of weighing ten different factors pick the one that matters most. Price? Convenience? Speed? Decide based on that one thing alone.
For Bigger More Impactful Decisions
These choices need a bit more thought. A new job a significant purchase or a major life change. These frameworks help you look at the problem from different angles.
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The 10/10/10 Rule. How will you feel about this decision in 10 minutes? 10 months? 10 years? This simple question provides powerful long-term perspective.
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Inversion. Instead of thinking about how to achieve success think about what would guarantee failure. Then just avoid doing those things. It's often easier to see what to avoid than what to do.
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The Regret Minimization Framework. This is a classic. Ask your future 80-year-old self: "Will I regret not doing this?" The goal is to live a life with fewer regrets.
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The Pros and Cons List. It's simple for a reason. Write down the pros on one side and the cons on the other. But here’s a twist: give each point a score from 1 to 5 based on its importance. Then tally the scores.
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Second-Order Thinking. What are the consequences of the consequences? The first-order consequence of eating cake is that it's delicious. The second-order consequence might be a sugar crash and feeling bad about your health goals. Always think one step ahead.
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The Pre-Mortem. Imagine your project or decision has failed spectacularly a year from now. Why did it fail? This helps you spot potential problems before they happen.
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SWOT Analysis. This sounds corporate but it’s useful for personal life too. Look at the Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats related to your decision. It gives you a full picture.
The Ultimate Frameworks: Faith and Values
For me these are the most important. After years of feeling lost these frameworks became my compass. When I was trying to overcome binge eating and other destructive habits logic alone wasn’t enough. I needed a deeper reason to change. My faith provided that.
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The Prayer Test. This is my foundation. I bring the decision to God in prayer. I don’t always get a dramatic sign. Sometimes the answer is a feeling of peace. Other times it's a sense of unease that tells me to wait. It's about aligning my will with His not just getting what I want.
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The Values Check. Does this decision align with the person I want to become? Does it honor my core values like faith integrity health and family? If a choice compromises my core values the answer is always no no matter how good it looks on the surface.
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The Light vs. Darkness Test. This one is simple but powerful. Does this decision bring things into the light or does it rely on secrecy and shame? When I was struggling with my old habits so much of my life was hidden in darkness. Choosing health and purpose meant choosing things I could be open and honest about. A decision that thrives in the light is almost always the right one.
You don't need to memorize all 20 of these. Just pick one or two that speak to you. The point isn’t to analyze forever. It’s to build confidence in your ability to choose. It's to take action and trust that you can handle the outcome.
What’s one small decision you’ve been putting off? Pick a framework from this list and give it a try today. See how it feels to just move forward.
