When choosing between two concrete options, it is very important to weigh up all of the pros and cons for both outcomes before you make your decision. If your gut feeling is telling you to choose one or the other, you should definitely take this into consideration. Sometimes we just know which answer is right even though we can’t logically explain why. If you don’t have this feeling deep down then there are different questions which you should be able to answer before you decide whether to say yes or no.
Is this the right decision for you right now? Taking into consideration everything going on in your life at the moment, does choosing yes or no fit in with your plans? If it doesn’t, you will need to be 100% sure that the future benefits of the decision outweigh the impracticalities or disturbances caused when you make your decision in the short term.
Is this the right decision for you in the future? The same can also be said the other way round. If it feels like saying yes or no is the right decision to make at the moment, will it still be the right decision to have made a few months or years down the line? If it is going to have a major negative impact on your future then perhaps it is not the right decision to make. Obviously, we cannot predict everything that will happen to us in the future but some implications of our decisions will be relatively easy to foresee.
Will you have a chance to change your mind? If you somehow make the wrong decision, is there a way around this in the future? If you are going to have to live with the decision forever and it is one which cannot be undone, think very long and hard about what this means. Don’t rush into anything and take your time to make sure that you make the right decision for yourself.
Are you the only person affected by this decision? Unfortunately, we can’t all be selfish all the time, and if other people will be hugely affected when you make your decision then they have a right to be taken into account when you are deciding. You will of course need to choose the best outcome for you, but if this comes at the expense of someone else then you will need to think it through very carefully before deciding what to do.
There will be more specific questions that you will have to ask yourself as well, depending on the exact situation in which you find yourself. Answering all of the questions listed above honesty will give you some indication as to whether you should say yes or no. Never underestimate the power of talking things through with somebody who won’t be affected by the decision you make. If they don’t have a vested interest in whether you decide to say yes or no then they are much less likely to try to influence your decision, but it is always helpful to talk it through with another human being to make you aware of how you really feel. If in doubt, go with your gut instinct.