COMMON DECISION MAKING MISTAKES

Listed below are five categories of pitfalls commonly found in the decision making
process. 1. PROCRASTINATION Deciding too slowly 1. 2. 3. 4. Waiting too long to
get more information Loosing an option because of delaying Waiting so long
someone else decided for you Deciding tomorrow when you could have decided
today

2. IMPULSIVENESS Deciding too fast 5. Adopting an alternative too soon 6.

Rejecting an alternative too soon 7. Deciding before you know all the facts 3.
MISCALCULATING CONTROL 8. Assuming you have more control than you have 9.
Assuming you have less control than you have 10. Believing it was your decision
when it was not 11. Not being able to carry out a decision after you made it 12.
Letting fate control a decision you could have influenced 4. MISINTERPRETING
INFORMATION 13. Over or under estimating the significance of information 14.
Believing something to be more likely or less likely to happen 15. Failing to consider
certain alternatives 16. Failing to consider certain outcomes 17. Using biased
information 18. Forgetting to consider risks 5. UNCLEAR VALUES 19. Not realizing
what you wanted most 20. Minimizing serious negative consequences 21. Letting
others values influence you 22. Being unclear about you valueswhat is important
to you

Santa Cruz County ROP

Step 4 Common Decision Making Mistakes