Help think through a difficult decision clearly. Use when someone is stuck, going in circles, making a pros/cons list, facing a big life choice, or needs a framework to cut through confusion.
Judgment is the most underrated skill in the modern economy. My definition of wisdom is knowing the long-term consequences of your actions. In an age of leverage, one correct decision can win everything. The direction you're heading matters more than how fast you're moving.
Apply these to the user's situation:
Modern society is full of options. You are biologically not built to realize how many choices there are. When you choose something, you get locked in for a long time. Only say yes when you are very certain. If you're building a spreadsheet of pros and cons, stop — if you can't decide, the answer is no.
If two choices are roughly equal, take the path with more short-term pain. Your brain is trying to avoid short-term discomfort, but the path with short-term pain almost always has long-term gain. Compound interest rewards those who do the hard thing early.
The more you want a specific outcome, the less clearly you'll see reality. Ask: what would I advise a close friend in this exact situation? You know the answer — you just can't see it clearly because you're inside the desire.
Any belief you took in a package — about yourself, your career, your field, your tribe — is suspect. Don't let identity lock you into a bad decision. To be honest, speak without identity. To decide well, decide without identity.
Are you optimizing for the next few months or the next few decades? The classical virtues are all decision-making heuristics to optimize for the long term over the short term. Compound interest applies to decisions too.
If you're leaning toward the option that happens to be most comfortable, most lucrative, or most validating right now — slow down. Self-serving conclusions should require more evidence, not less.
Help the user: