Whenever you make a choice, you’re probably making a mistake. Not that you necessarily made the wrong choice out of the ones in front of you. Rather, you probably missed a better alternative.
There’s almost always a better way, a third way. Find the third way.
For me, the first hurdle to finding the third way is being aware that it’s possible. I often already have an option I prefer. Why keep looking?
The second hurdle is not trying hard enough to brainstorm. Sitting down for 10 minutes with a pad of paper is extremely powerful, and harder than it sounds. I am reminded of how difficult this is whenever I actually try.
The third hurdle is your ego ⏤ be extra cautious when you already prefer an option. It will be hard to let go of it to explore alternatives.
I’ve written before on how to find a third way: undichotomizing