Big Questions, Short Answers with Sian Jaquet
(Feat, Andy's unsolicited advice.)
What are the things that make life, relationships, business and the big picture work?
Andy asks Sian, his wife, these big questions. And with a humorous, light-hearted touch, in 10-15 minutes they will discuss the things that really matter and find short answers to bring us all success and happiness.
Sian is a much sought-after international executive coach, board member and keynote speaker who promotes living and working a values-based life to gain happiness and success. Andy is her husband of 35 years, and the ying to her yang, So the conversation is honest, real and funny.
“I hope you'll be entertained. I hope you have a little smile. And I hope every now and again there will be a thought that you refilter in your head and think: Okay, that resonated.” - Sian Jaquet
For more content, check out Sian's website sianjaquet.com, and her online course: Create The Life You Truly Love
Big Questions, Short Answers with Sian Jaquet
Big Question | How do you make the right decision? Ep31
Is making the right decision about more than just weighing pros and cons? Join us as we unravel the complexities of decision-making on this episode of Big Questions, Short Answers. We'll explore how to turn decision-making from a paralyzing dilemma into an empowering process. With practical insights and real-life examples, Sian and Andy will guide you through the essentials of evaluating your options with clarity and confidence. You'll learn how to approach decisions from multiple perspectives, ensuring outcomes that align with your values and goals.
Through engaging anecdotes and actionable advice, we’ll illustrate why courage and honesty are critical in the decision-making process. Whether you're contemplating a major career move or simply choosing a yogurt flavor, our discussion will help you break down your choices in a meaningful way. Get ready to rethink your approach to decision-making with tips that range from old-school pros and cons lists to examining the broader context of your decisions. Tune in to equip yourself with the tools you need to make better decisions in both your personal and professional life.
For more content, check out Sian's website sianjaquet.com, and her online course: Create The Life You Truly Love.
www.sianjaquet.com
Oh, come on.
Speaker 2:And it's, and it's, and it's, and it's.
Speaker 1:No talking during the podcast.
Speaker 2:You can't give everybody else in this family. He's got to have the last words and he has. Welcome to Big Questions. Short Answers I'm Sian.
Speaker 1:And I'm Andy Sian's husband asking the big life questions.
Speaker 2:And possibly adding a little bit of unsolicited advice.
Speaker 1:Maybe this podcast is brought to you by Sharm's value-based online course. Visit sharmjacketcom to find out more. How do you make good decisions? This is what we're talking about, Because, whether that's in work, whether that's in personal life, whether that's whatever, we often well, I don't, you know stress oh, my God, is this going to be the right decision you can make?
Speaker 2:So is the question making the right decision or just making a decision?
Speaker 1:Oh right, Okay Well, we'll deal with procrastination at another time. But being able to make the right decision, I think, for yourself.
Speaker 2:Go on.
Speaker 1:Well, you know how you can make a decision where, even if it's the wrong decision, you can. It doesn't turn out well, you can be comfortable in that decision to say, well, yeah, that's the decision I made at the time because that's what I believed was right.
Speaker 2:It depends on the decision, but essentially, if you're making a decision about something that is going to have a material effect in your life, yes, Maybe you'd just talk.
Speaker 1:Should we talk about just work, or should we talk about personal, or mix the both?
Speaker 2:Well, you've just opened the door now to it, haven't you? I mean, you know decision-making is very different in different environments for different reasons. But let's bring it back down to the ABC. If you've got a decision to make, should I apply for that job? Should I move house? Should we send the kids to that school? You know it's the difference between you, know that? Or, what flavour of yoghurt am I going to buy in the supermarket?
Speaker 2:Yeah, to me it's so, given the decision has a substantive reason to be made, yeah, so if you need to make a decision, ye olden days, pen and paper and it's not computer, it is literally pen and paper. Okay, because it's slower and it takes more thought and process to pick up a pen, write on a piece of paper and create your thoughts. So the basic way of doing it is the pros and cons, isn't it Right? Write the list of the pros and cons. We've all done that. So that's a very basic way of doing it. So if you want to take it to the next step, the questions I would ask somebody is why do you need to make this decision? What's the context of it, right? Yes, why are you making it? Once you've clarified that, then you look at what I call the different perspectives. So you know, those merry-go-rounds in children's playgrounds, the ones that are like sectioned, like a piece of cake that goes round and round.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great If you think of the decision in that way, it's like all cut into different and it's spinning around. What I would ask anybody to do is look at the different perspectives. If you make the decision, what's the outcome? If you stand from that perspective, what about that perspective? And you look at all of the ways in which that decision is going to affect your life yeah, my time, my effort, the pros and cons of doing it. Is it going to move me forward? Is it going to be dangerous? Is it going to be healthy? Who is it going to upset?
Speaker 2:You know, all of those things and it's having the courage to be honest about it. Again, you can come back to that word so often. When you're making a decision, you really need to have the courage to look at it from as many perspectives as you can. Then I would be saying that to evaluate, you need to then look at if I'm making this decision, what is the outcome? What am I looking for? Again, it comes back to why do I need to make this decision? Let's look at something like moving a house. Whether you own or whether you rent, it doesn't really matter. You know this isn't working. We need more space, or whatever the reasons are. Yeah, work out why you need to make that decision. Are they real? And if so, then you look at what are the resources needed?
Speaker 2:to make that decision? Yeah, and what is the plan to get from A to B? The other thing is, once you've done all of that, then it's about weighing your options, and we hear that phrase a lot. You know you're weighing up your options. Well, I think you actually need a process to do that. Yeah, and when you're weighing options, it's only when you've literally got the core criteria of why I'm making the decision. I'm doing it because I need more space. I need it because this is too expensive. I need it because I need to. The location needs to change, because getting to work or doing living life is too difficult right.
Speaker 2:Once you have the reasons behind, so you're verifying the belief. These are my reasons, these are my beliefs.
Speaker 1:Then making decisions becomes so much easier because a lot of people well, a lot of people, probably me kind of when they make a decision can find all the reasons why they have to do something, you know, but but don't actually look at the potential negatives, the other side. It's quite difficult to kind of look at that.
Speaker 2:Well, I would argue with you because you do, you become constipated with I can't do it, in case it's not right and it doesn't work out and it's not the right thing. Ah, true. So, for instance, if you're going just like an obvious one with you it's like a never-ending narrative I need a piece of equipment for my work, I need a light, I need a camera, I need a whatever, and the first thing you'll do is drag me into a conversation. What do you think? I want you to look at this and I'm like well, it may as well be written in Swahili. I don't know what. You need a light for, or a bit for your camera, or a lens or whatever, and we have the same jiggly dumps. You know, I say to you every time I love the jiggly dumps. Oh, we do have a jiggly dump. And I say to you what do you need it for?
Speaker 2:right right, and once you verbalize well, I've got this coming up, or I've done these two things and I didn't have it, and that's the problem it caused. And I've now got three things coming up where I can use this and it's going to add and it's going to do this and do that, right, so you've done the evaluation. Okay, the value basis. Why do I need to do this? Yeah, then I say to you well, all of that's logical, so why are you asking me the?
Speaker 1:question.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it costs $500. Right, right, just pulling a number out of my head here yeah, and I will then say have you got $500? Yeah, if you have and you need it, then that's investing in your business, and you've given me the rationale. If, on the other hand, you're buying it because you saw somebody else with their kit and they had it and you thought, oh, that looks nice, oh, I'd like to learn and play with that but it's not actually necessary, yeah, where it's not adding to the Well it's value with business.
Speaker 2:It's value add. You know it's those kind of decisions, but it's interesting. You have an inbuilt fear of making the wrong choice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I do.
Speaker 2:What would happen if it's not the right one? What will happen if you catastrophize? You're very good at wrapping yourself up in constant going over and over and over and over and over. Because you don't like change, as I say, because you're frightened, you don't make a decision, You'd rather not make a decision.
Speaker 1:Yeah, true, true. I'd rather not make a decision. It's about everything really.
Speaker 2:One of the other things which you know. In my head it's kind of stating the obvious because of my belief systems If you have a decision to make, it needs to be in congruence with your values.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that's the key it's in congruence with your values and it works out. The headiness of being competent, of making a good choice, makes us feel really good as human beings. You know, we human beings, we have succeeded, we have done a good thing by making the right choice. And when it's, as I say, if it's in line with your values, it adds a whole euphoric bit.
Speaker 1:Because if it's not in line with your values, it doesn't feel very kind of awkward, absolutely, and that's what unravels you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and make that decision Again. It might not be about buying something. It might be about whistleblowing. It might be about calling somebody out. It might be about saying something that you can no longer keep your gob shut about. As long as things are in line with your values, the chances are you'll be able to put your head on your pillow and live with the choices that you've made. And the same thing you know when you're talking about going out and buying something. You know making a choice, making a decision.
Speaker 1:If you're filtering it through your values, the chances are you will make a good decision For yourself. It might not be the right decision for another person, somebody who like, for example, from a values perspective, somebody who likes money, and another person who likes contribution, choosing a different job that has got less pay, but you're contributing. For some people it might be the wrong decision, but if it's in line with your values, then it's the right decision.
Speaker 2:Yeah probably a tiny bit more complicated than that. No, no, no, I do. I'm not taking a diss, I'm being really honest with you Again. World according to Sian. Just an observation here you know the world is getting so fast and there is so much more choice, so much more of everything. Making decisions. I just think we're very, very tired of it. I mean, the story I will tell about making decisions in the last few years is when I've gone back to the UK and gone into Tesco's and I stand at the supermarket and I look literally 50, 60, 70 different kinds of bottled water, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And I'm thinking what the actual?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know yeah there is so much of everything that you know you're thinking about doing the shopping for the family and all the practicalities of it, but also making all those choices. It's tiring, mate. Yeah, yeah, tiring Buying clothes, buying things, but just life in general. There are so many more choices that we have to make and I think one of the things we could do is just recognise sometimes it's I'm very tired of making decisions, so I'm going to stop for a minute. That opens the door to work, because making decisions in a working environment that is a whole different subject.
Speaker 1:Oh, maybe we'll talk about that at another time, but I've made the decision to bring this to a close because we're up to time.
Speaker 2:Oh, you're a funny man Not in a half-hour way up to time. Oh yeah, rough money man, Not in a half-hour way.
Speaker 1:Join us next time on Big Questions. Short Answers with Sian Jacquet and me, andy.
Speaker 2:If you have any questions you want to ask, please send them via the website siansjacquetcom.
Speaker 1:If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and share it with everyone you know.
Speaker 2:We really do appreciate you sharing 15 minutes with us.
Speaker 1:And if you want to do a bit more learning, go on to Charles' website charlesjackaycom. There's a course on values to create the life you truly love. I did it and it does do what it says on the can.
Speaker 2:See you next time.
