Efficiency in Decision-making

Decision making is a common occurrence in daily life. Decisions can range in scope and intensity and be as transparent and/or fashionable as you desire. They can be made consciously and analytically or unconsciously and expediently. Decisions that have proved in the past to meet the desired goal will be repeated and so will the related behavioral habit(s), even when the goal has changed. A conscious decision must be made to interrupt the automacy of habits. Old habits, must be replaced with the new and this requires you to go through the skill building process so the new habit eventually becomes second nature. What does this have to do with decision-making? Decision-making is intentional, goal-directed, behavior implemented by using self-imposed discipline and patience to get the outcome you've set your mind on. One problem with change is that there has to be a conscious thought and subsequent decision made so you can reprogram the automation of habits in your mind-body connection. Or said another way, you can reset a default habit to be consistent with the new goal. 

 

A note of caution about the neutrality of the brain's neuroplasticity associated with change;

In the beginning of the change process you'll find yourself still doing what you don't want to do because of the strong role of old habits (Romans 7:23-25). Repeating past behavior that you no longer want to do requires not only your intention but your patience, practice and endurance. That's because you are training both your brain and your body to implement new behavior. Your body movements work in conjunction with the electrical and chemical reactions that need to take place in the brain to make it happen. (Neural pathways are responsible for structuring your physical habits so an efficient pattern can be developed.) When you decide to change something about yourself, it's helpful to remember this fact because it will help explain why the change you want takes longer than anticipated! Mistakes are commonplace when you first start to form a new habit. Give yourself (and your brain) time to learn these new habits so you can achieve your new goals. 

• In his research paper entitled, "The Neuroscience of Goals and Behavior Change", ET Berkman (2018) breaks down the performance of a skill into two components, a will and a way. Read more about it @ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5854216/#abstract1 .

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Decision-making is very often hampered by personal biases resulting in systemic errors in your judgement, reinforcing a relative reality and stalling your learning. Behavioral change must be accompanied by an attitude change in order to make the new habit stick! Who is it that you honor, besides yourself with your decisions? The attitude you possess during this time will either push you back to old habits or propel you forward into the new ones. Be aware of the initial reluctance to carryout the change process if you do choose this environment. Don't fall victim to your own unrealistic expectations founded upon wishful thinking. 

• Read more about the phases of learning at Appendix 1F and the change process in Appendix 1N.

• Read more on wishful thinking in Appendix 1D and Appendix 1E.

• Review the flow chart at the end of the Intentional Value-Based decision making section.

• Take the series of questions regarding how you make decisions in your life at "Do You Make Value-based Decisions?"

• To gain motivation to delay instant gratification, read the “... Eternal Perspective” section at the end of this page.

• Sticking with the change process is a form of delayed gratification that helps build integrity. Read more about behavioral integrity in Appendix 1S.

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Environment Influences Habits

Awareness to the process of change will help you make better decisions. Trying to perform a new habit in an environment that supports your change will ease some of your tension and anxiety that is common during this transitional phase of habit formation. If you choose to leave rehabilitation and, instead, choose to enter back into your old neighborhood where your bad habits are practiced as the norm, you'll have an extra level of tension in your recovery, both psycho and social. Also, familiar scenery stimulates memories and those stimulate the automacy of comfortable habits which can jump start the addiction cycle again (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016). Your job is to wait through this thought generation process of implementing change and be ready to flee the scene when haunted by old environmental triggers when they appear (1 Timothy 6:11-12). If your first thought after rehabilitation is "to move back to your old neighborhood", then you may want to dismiss it because the "environmental cues would be plentiful and harmful to your recovery" causing added causes extra stress which could be the trigger to a relapse (Wood, W. & Neal, D. T. (2007)). 

 

Your job is not to abruptly try to stop this thought from entering your mind, but it is to replace this thought with another that is more consistent to your goal. Continuing with this example, you would rethink this initial thought and consider other alternatives (even though hey may be harder to implement), for your social and emotional well-being. This action of dismissing the first thought is actually a trigger for your brain to tell it to generate more specific options regarding a more helpful environment for your recovery. The automacy of the mind is so strong that if you do not change your social cues/triggers, it'll be very hard to override the old habit(s).

• As depicted here in the paragraph called "Play the Mind Game Before Acting" in the Art of Self-mastery-Perception ... section.  

• Review Appendix 1T; to see how Emotional Intelligence enhances your tenacity when pursuing goals. 

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Intentionality pulls you up while impulsivity pushes you back. When you select a thought that uses the new knowledge associated with breaking patterns of addiction, you will be "pulled" up to your new goal. (This is the "Push - Pull Reality" reality described in Appendix 1N, a natural tension associated with learning.) Creating a new social setting is the thought that pulls you up or motivates you to achieve your new goal; it becomes a "criterion" for the decision as to where to live after rehab to increase your chances of maintaining your sobriety. Don't let the newness of habits and/or social discomfort slow down your goal pursuit. With time, this behavior will become second nature and you'll redefine friends as those people who support your goals and values in a like-minded  social setting. Applying intentional decision-making to this scenario improves your chances of warding off temptation but, as the Bible points out, it's not a guarantee. 2 Timothy 2:22 says to instead, "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."

 

Reflect What You Believe in Your Decisions

Cling to God, your highest authority in your life. After graduating from a rehabilitation program, don't let pleasing God slip back into second or third place by the new types of decisions that come after you went through the rehabilitation period. A new environment means your brain will have to develop new pathways and new associations between triggers and behavior. With God, you can purposely choose to move to a new neighborhood with like-minded people whose actions will reinforce your decisions and values and you can call on Him for help as you persist through the learning curve and manage the performance tension you may feel. Don't confuse performance tension with anxiety. A note about loneliness; temporary alone time, making new friends, and changing your social habits (some consequences of this decision) may not be something you saw coming after you graduated from a rehabilitation program, but making these initially uncomfortable psycho-social choices completes your recovery because you have replaced cognitive dissonance with cognitive consistency and have positioned God above yourself and those around you. ​

• To help you change your perception during this phase of your recovery, review the Capture Your Vision” tab and do the related exercises.  

• Scriptures to contemplate when you wait (withstand the temporary loneliness) for new social connections to be built: Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11, 1 Peter 1:13, 5:6-7, John 16:33, Philippians 2:2, Joshua 1:9, Galatians 6:9, Lamentations 3:25-26.

The decision to have your social environment be reflective of your personal goals is an example of full 180 degree change in you which completes the psycho (90%) - social balance (90%). The minute you add anything to your goal, you become double-minded and can be swayed to compromise your values resulting in a shift to your balance. Christian cognitive consistency empowers you to withstand the loneliness of choosing to live in a new environment because you've already deliberated and made the decision to trade temporary loneliness for long term character integrity. With God positioned as the top criteria for decision-making, you have brought stability and consistency to your choices which fuels your confidence as you seek plans to achieve your goals (Hebrews 6:19). ​

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Do you choose to go through the performance tension of change to achieve your goal of Christian living without unhealthy addictions or do you give in to the fear of being alone? ​

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As a Christian, to check if your behavioral decisions reflect your Christian faith, ask two general questions;

1. IS MY FIRST THOUGHT CUSTOMARY AND SECULAR OR INTENTIONAL AND CHRISTIAN?

• If the first thought is raw/instinctual/secular, interrupt that thought, and replace it with a more God honoring thought. Discard (let go*) your 1st thought completely so it doesn't influence your decision-making (Romans 6:12, James 1:15). *Count to 5 as you visualize the first thought leaving, being pushed out by cognitively consistent options.

    2. WHAT IS MY INTENTION/MOTIVATION: To please myself, another person, or God?

• Are you in the habit (this is usually unconscious) of proving yourself right or seeking control?

• Do you show that you value God’s love for you, regardless of the crowd you are socializing with? (Matthew 4:10, Romans 13:14, read https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-motives.html ).

• See below for more detail on framing thoughts using an Eternal Perspective.  

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Train your brain to listen to your heart so Christianity can be the final decision-maker of both your attitude and your behavior. Consistency between the two in response to Truth brings peace for you and your neighbor. Narrow down your behavioral options by thinking through (intentionally interrupting the automacy familiar decisions and habits) a line of questioning, similar to the example that follows. With practice, what seems like a long analytical process will develop into an efficient goal-oriented, comfortable and quick value-driven habit. 

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1. WILL YOUR DECISION IN THAT DAY OR HOUR SATISFY YOU (YOUR HUMANITY) OR WILL IT GLORIFY GOD?​

• Is this decision and resulting action motivated by self-preservation/self-pleasure or by gratitude to God?​

• ​Will it glorify God, or will it glorify yourself by satisfying the lust of your eyes and/or your flesh, or by satisfying the pride of your life? ​

• Are you tempted to act in fear and doubt, or do you have confidence in God’s faithfulness and show it by obeying His Word?

• Are you trusting God? Do you make the decision to act with immediacy on God’s Word? ​

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2. Will YOUR DECISION BE "EXTREME OR BALANCED”? 

• Have you consider other options (aside from your first) to see if you are acting in moderation?

• Are you operating from fear and/or pride or with hope and confidence so you can delay your gratification? 

• Is your decision an intentional response that is reflective of your values? 

• Does your decision put God first (honor God over yourself) while balancing your responsibilities in the other areas of your life?​ ​

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3.WILL YOUR DECISION SHOW LOVE TO YOUR NEIGHBOR?​

• Is your action satisfying an emotion that reinforces selfishness or selflessness? ​

• Does your desired action satisfy your need exclusively, or that of another person?​

• Does your choice reflect the will to love your neighbor in honor of God, despite how you are treated by others?

• Do you use patience and self-control to discern the why's of what you do?

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4.DO YOUR MOTIVES AND ACTIONS ALIGN WITH THE NAME/TITLE "CHRISTIAN"?  

• Do you remember who you are in Christ?

• Do you walk the talk of Christianity and so reveal your CHRISTIAN CHARACTER INTEGRITY?

• Do your feelings and attitude correspond with Christ's example? Confident, calm and peaceful, etc?

• Do you feel the impact of a double-minded Christian? Anxious, angry, fearful, shamed, disappointed, etc?

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If your decision has to be made in reaction to quickly changing circumstances, ask yourself;

5. ARE YOU REACTING TO THE SITUATION BECAUSE YOU ARE OFFENDED, OR WILL YOU DEFLECT INSULTS? ​

• Do you honor God above yourself, so you can love others regardless of your personal preference?​

• Do you shift your perspective toward God?

• Did you put the shield of faith over your heart to let love flow out but stop insults and frustration from getting in or are you acting out of spite and reacting impulsively, instinctually, habitually?  ​

• Did you flex your personality style?​ For example, do you know when to speak the truth in love and when to keep the peace by remaining quiet?

 

Because of the nature of God and His operating principles, your Christian decisions will require the discipline of hope-filled faith; displaying confidence and patience while waiting to see your results. Make it a habit to lean into and depend on God during this waiting period so you keep doubt at bay (1 Corinthians 10:13). Deliberate thinking on Truth creates more options. For example, again using the example of moving back to an old familiar neighborhood where those habits you gave up are prevalent; When you stop to evaluate the possibility of that thought, the pause will create the potential for additional option generation, directed by your overarching goal. If you dismiss the thought, then the brain's job is to produce another. Your brain is like a computer; it is only as helpful as the information you put into it. That's why the first part of rehabilitation is knowledge building, as it , provides you with information to consider in making decisions that are in alignment with your goal. Part 2 requires you to continuously practice implementing your new knowledge to produce matching skills, so you can form an efficient habit that meets your goal criteria (not abandoning the skill building process because of the time it takes to form the new habit). 

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