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How to Consistently Make Good Decisions
怎样做一个正确而关键性的决定
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《人生是每一个小决定的反映》一文中提到过，我们每天做的成百上千个小决定对我们生活的每一部分都很重要。比如说，这些小决定可以是如计划好的起床锻炼；也可以是睡懒觉不去锻炼。这篇文章将会告诉你如何快速简单地做出好决定，只要回答两个问题
What are the facts?
—事实是什么？
What are my options?
我能怎么办？——就这么简单。
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.
下面谈谈我是如何运用这一方法来解决一系列问题的。一天晚上，我从迈阿密参加展销会回来，当时天色已经很晚了。因为满脑子都在想着白天的事，我竟忘了检查油缸。
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.
当我正以75英里的时速开过鳄鱼巷时，我的车抛锚了。我可不想被困在那个地方，特别是大半夜的时候。那里只有一条路出去，但是这唯一的路以危险著称，因为时时会有流氓在那闲逛，等的就是像我这样的倒霉蛋。
What should I do? As I always do when faced with such a decision, I asked myself two questions!
我该怎么办？往常我遇到这种困境时总会问自己两个问题！
Question 1:
问题1：
What are the facts?
事实是什么？
I ran out of gas and the closest exit was at least 15 miles away.
事实是我的车没油了，而且最近的加油站远在15英里外。
Question 2:
问题2：
What are my options?
我能怎么办？
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.
这个问题对做出正确决定很关键，而且也是本文的精髓部分。考虑过所有的事实后，问问自己“我能怎么办？”这一步的关键在于——你得有创造性思维，在做决定前考虑每一种可能。
Back to Alligator Alley… These were my options:
回到鳄鱼巷那次困境，我有以下选择：
Back to Alligator Alley… These were my options:
回到鳄鱼巷那次困境，我有以下选择：
Since I am a member of AAA, I could call them.
我是美国汽车协会会员，我可以给他们打电话；
Since I am a member of my car company’s roadside service program, I could call them.
我还是售车公司路边服务计划的会员，我也可以给他们打电话。
I could hitchhike to the closest exit.
我可以搭便车到最近的出口处。
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边紧急公用电话亭打电话求助。
I could call the Florida highway patrol and seek their help.
我可以呼叫佛罗里达州高速路巡警请求帮助。
I could call the Florida Road Rangers who offer roadside assistance to distressed motorists.
我可以呼叫专为受困驾驶人员提供帮助的巡警。
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.
在这种情况下，我不想冒险也不会太过依赖任何一个选择，所以我马上拨打了以上所有的电话。除了搭便车那个选择有风险外，其它的选择都尝试过了。可能有人会觉得我没有必要把所有的选择都实行，但是做多种选择是决策过程的一个重要部分。在当时那个地方更是如此。
