Book: Decisive

The core of Decisive is the WRAP framework, a four-step process that forces you to expand your view, test your gut, step back, and guard against surprise. By treating decisions as experiments rather than bets, you reduce bias and increase confidence in outcomes.

Widening options means forcing yourself to see beyond the obvious. The book suggests asking about opportunity cost, like comparing a $700 stereo plus $300 of albums to a $1000 stereo, or using a "vanishing options" trick that forces you to invent alternatives. Limiting yourself to three extra choices already breaks the do-or-don't trap, and framing each option positively and negatively surfaces hidden trade-offs. Looking for bright spots or building a playlist of repeat problems turns abstract decisions into concrete patterns.

Reality-testing assumptions pushes you to invite disagreement, ask what would have to be true for an option to be optimal, and even consider the opposite of your instincts. Deliberately making a mistake or seeking average experiences-like reading restaurant reviews or asking a lawyer about settlement rates-adds data points that cut through confirmation bias. The "ooch" experiment encourages small, forward-moving tests that surface hidden flaws before you commit.

Attaining distance before deciding is about creating mental space. Sleeping on a decision, applying Suzie Welch's 10/10/10 rule, or asking what your successor would do all add perspective. Imagining advice you'd give a friend forces a longer-term view, while recognizing loss aversion and mere exposure explains why we cling to the status quo.

Finally, preparing to be wrong means practicing prospective hindsight, mapping worst-case, best-case, and median outcomes, and setting trip-wires-concrete thresholds that pull you out of autopilot. Being explicit about the cons of a job or a project readies you for setbacks and keeps you aligned with core priorities, turning ambiguous choices into manageable experiments.