Ever been stuck between two decisions?
If so, I stumbled upon a decision-making trick that could help.
There are many dilemmas in life…
- Which job should I take?
- Should I pursue this relationship or leave it?
- Tacos or burritos? (the answer should always be both)
The tip I’ve stumbled upon, as you might have guessed from the subject line, is to flip the script.
This means approaching the question from the opposite angle. I’ll illustrate how flipping the script has changed the way I’ve made decisions.
Flip the Script #1: Long distance relationship
I mentioned Madrid in a previous newsletter. I left LA a bachelor and came back a boyfriend.
It wasn’t an easy decision. My wonderful now-girlfriend and I talked at length about entering a long distance relationship. Should we do it or not?
The default question in my mind was:
“I’ve never been in a long distance relationship. Should we try it or is it a bad idea?”
Through a series of conversations, I realized that a better question could be asked:
“If I were in a long distance relationship, who would I want on this journey with me?”
The answer then came to me naturally.
Flip the Script #2: Eating more veggies
I wrote “experiment with vegetarianism/veganism” in my 2019 goals. Apart from guilt-inducing documentaries like What the Health, I’ve always been curious about how my body will perform on plant vs meat energy.
Before even trying out the diet, I was stressed out with the question: “Should I become a vegetarian or not?”
Realizing that I was falling into an identity trap and binary thinking, I flipped the script:
How would I feel if I ate mostly veggies during the week, and carved out 1 “cheat day” for meat?
This was what worked for me when I first did the Slow Carb Diet. The critical reframe was from self-deprivation (I can’t eat carbs!) to reward (I get to eat all the carbs I want on Saturday!)
It’s only been 4 days and I’m thoroughly enjoying roasted veggies. The biggest surprise isn’t NOT eating meat, it’s that I’ve been farting up a storm. Too much fiber.
If you’re a vegan/vegetarian who has dealt with deadly flatulence, please reply and help a brother out.
Flip the Script #3: Landmark
I resisted attending the Landmark Forum for a long time. I was allergic to the pyramid scheme-y way of their marketing.
So what got me to sign up for my first Landmark event?
My best friend signed up and had the most transformational experiences. (Word of mouth works, yo.)
The old script in my head myself was:
“Is Landmark Forum worth chalking up $600 for?”
To a new one:
“If I get even a fraction of the benefits my best friend has received through this training, would it be worth it?”
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I made in 2018.
Here’s my in-depth review of Landmark.
Have you ever “reframed” or “flipped the script” on a situation to get better clarity?
Comment below and let me know.
Originally published at Oz Chen.
