When a coin isn’t enough

1. The coin trick

Flip anyway, then pay attention to your first feeling when it lands. Relief means the coin agreed with you. A small “oh no” means you wanted the other side. Either way, you just found out what you want.

Try it with the coin

2. 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years

Ask how you’ll feel about each option in 10 minutes, in 10 months and in 10 years. Short-term discomfort often fades. What still matters in 10 years usually deserves the most weight.

3. Pros and cons, with weights

A plain list treats every point as equal. Give each one a score from 1 to 5 for how much it matters to you, then add them up.

4. What would you tell a friend?

Imagine a good friend described your exact situation. The advice you’d give them comes out clearer, because you’re not tangled up in the worry.

5. Set a deadline, then sleep on it

Pick a date to decide by, so the question stops following you around. For big choices, sleep on it at least once. Most decisions look different in the morning.