Decision Making

When stumped by a life choice, choose “enlargement” over happiness. I’m indebted to the Jungian therapist James Hollis for the insight that major personal decisions should be made not by asking, “Will this make me happy?”, but “Will this choice enlarge me or diminish me?” We’re terrible at predicting what will make us happy: the question swiftly... See more

Oliver Burkeman • Oliver Burkeman's Last Column: The Eight Secrets to a (Fairly) Fulfilled Life

sari

How can you determine how to act under your own and society's best interests? Always strive to do the best.

If you’re unsure how to decide, ask yourself these questions:

- “Is what I am going to do moral, or is it immoral?”

Immoral actions are driven by egoistic motives. No one kills or steals, claiming to do good. Immorality always has a personal

simon

First, you possess imperfect knowledge of yourself. You may think you want something up until the moment you’ve attained it, only to discover that having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting .