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How to Consistently Make Good Decisions
怎樣做一個正確而關鍵性的決定
In yesterday's lesson title Our Lives are a Mirror Image of the Little Decisions We Make, I talked about the hundreds of little choices we make each day that play a crucial role in every part of our lives. These choices were defined as either/or choices, such as do I get up and exercise as I had planned, or do I sleep in and skip exercising. Today you’ll discover a fast and easy way to consistently make great decisions. It’s as simple as answering two questions.
我在《人生是每一個小決定的反映》一文中提到過，我們每天做的成百上千個小決定對我們生活的每一部分都很重要。比如說，這些小決定可以是如計劃好的起床鍛煉；也可以是睡懶覺不去鍛煉。這篇文章將會告訴你如何快速簡單地做出好決定，只要回答兩個問題
What are the facts?
—事實是什么？
What are my options?
我能怎么辦？——就這么簡單。
Let me tell you a story about how I used this formula to solve a series of problems. It was late one night as I was returning from a presentation in Miami. Preoccupied with the events of the day, I failed to check my gas gauge.
下面談談我是如何運用這一方法來解決一系列問題的。一天晚上，我從邁阿密參加展銷會回來，當時天色已經很晚了。因為滿腦子都在想著白天的事，我竟忘了檢查油缸。
As I was traveling the 75-mile stretch of Alligator Alley that crosses the Everglades, my car choked and died. This is not a good place to be stranded, especially late at night. There is only one exit and this road has the reputation of being a dangerous stretch because of thugs hanging out just waiting for a traveler like me.
當我正以75英里的時速開過鱷魚巷時，我的車拋錨了。我可不想被困在那個地方，特別是大半夜的時候。那里只有一條路出去，但是這唯一的路以危險著稱，因為時時會有流氓在那閑逛，等的就是像我這樣的倒霉蛋。
What should I do? As I always do when faced with such a decision, I asked myself two questions!
我該怎么辦？往常我遇到這種困境時總會問自己兩個問題！
Question 1:
問題1：
What are the facts?
事實是什么？
I ran out of gas and the closest exit was at least 15 miles away.
事實是我的車沒油了，而且最近的加油站遠在15英里外。
Question 2:
問題2：
What are my options?
我能怎么辦？
This question is the key to making great decisions and the most important take-away from today’s lesson. After gathering the available facts, you ask yourself, “What are my options?” Here is the key with this step. You must be creative and consider every possibility before making your decision.
這個問題對做出正確決定很關鍵，而且也是本文的精髓部分。考慮過所有的事實后，問問自己“我能怎么辦？”這一步的關鍵在于——你得有創造性思維，在做決定前考慮每一種可能。
Back to Alligator Alley… These were my options:
回到鱷魚巷那次困境，我有以下選擇：
Back to Alligator Alley… These were my options:
回到鱷魚巷那次困境，我有以下選擇：
Since I am a member of AAA, I could call them.
我是美國汽車協會會員，我可以給他們打電話；
Since I am a member of my car company’s roadside service program, I could call them.
我還是售車公司路邊服務計劃的會員，我也可以給他們打電話。
I could hitchhike to the closest exit.
我可以搭便車到最近的出口處。
I could walk to the closest emergency call box on the side of the road and phone for help.
我可以走到最近的路邊緊急公用電話亭打電話求助。
I could call the Florida highway patrol and seek their help.
我可以呼叫佛羅里達州高速路巡警請求幫助。
I could call the Florida Road Rangers who offer roadside assistance to distressed motorists.
我可以呼叫專為受困駕駛人員提供幫助的巡警。
In this situation I didn’t want to take any chances or count too heavily on one option, so I immediately called AAA, my car company’s roadside program, the Florida highway patrol, the Florida Road Rangers, and I called for help from the emergency roadside phone. I did everything except hitchhike because of the risks involved. One might think that I overdid it by selecting almost all of my options. But pursuing multiple options can be an important part of your decision making process. It certainly was on Alligator Alley.
在這種情況下，我不想冒險也不會太過依賴任何一個選擇，所以我馬上撥打了以上所有的電話。除了搭便車那個選擇有風險外，其它的選擇都嘗試過了。可能有人會覺得我沒有必要把所有的選擇都實行，但是做多種選擇是決策過程的一個重要部分。在當時那個地方更是如此。
