Psychologists estimate that we make around 20,000 decisions every day. Many of these happen automatically, while we think about others for longer. Impulsive people tend to overlook the consequences of their decisions, while hesitant people often overestimate the consequences. The 10-10-10 method can help both types to make clearer and more informed decisions. In this article, you will learn how the method works and how to apply it correctly.
What is the 10-10-10 method?
To use the method effectively, you need some time to think. Of course, you can't predict the future exactly, but the aim is to be fact-based. This means that you should take aspects such as financial framework conditions and organizational advantages and disadvantages into account in your considerations. This keeps you honest with yourself and avoids wishful thinking.
This method is an excellent tool for self-reflection - the ability to look at your own actions neutrally and critically. Every time you use the 10-10-10 method, you improve your self-reflection.
An example of the 10-10-10 method
Imagine you have received a job offer that requires you to move to a new city. You can use the 10-10-10 method to visualize the impact of this decision:
10 minutes
In the first 10 minutes after your decision, you immediately feel the immediate reactions:
- Accept: You are probably excited, looking forward to the new challenge, but may also feel a bit nervous.
- Reject: The initial excitement subsides. You may feel relieved because you don't like big changes and are happy to have made a decision.
10 months
Now look at the effects after 10 months:
- Accept: You've quit your old job and your apartment, arrived in the new city and in your new job. Perhaps everything is going well, or perhaps not as you had imagined.
- Reject: Your situation has hardly changed. Maybe you're still wondering whether it was the right decision to turn down the offer. Or you may have moved on professionally without taking the risk of relocating.
It's important to be honest with yourself here: Are you someone who loves big changes, or do you feel more comfortable in stable structures?
10 years
Finally, think about the long-term effects:
- Accept: You've lived in the new city for a long time, have built up a social network and feel comfortable. Or maybe you've realized that it wasn't the right path after all and have moved back.
- Reject: Many things can also happen in this scenario. You may have moved on from your old job or at some point accepted another job and relocated. Perhaps you are still happy with your decision and have taken many other opportunities.
Now you can compare the pros and cons over these three periods and evaluate which opportunities and risks are most important to you.
Conclusion on the 10-10-10 method
The 10-10-10 method helps you to realistically evaluate the consequences of decisions over different periods of time. Although it doesn't take the decision away from you, it does ensure that you gain clarity and better understand the possible consequences. This allows you to make a decision that you are happy with in the long term.
If you are the impulsive type who often only sees the short-term effects, this method will help you to consider the long-term consequences. If you tend to be hesitant and think too long about decisions, you can use this method to speed up the decision-making process without overlooking important points.
So, the next time you are faced with a difficult decision, ask yourself: How will this decision affect you in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years?
