It would seem that it is difficult: every day we make some decisions. Should I get up immediately after the alarm goes off, or allow myself to lie down for another minute, have breakfast, or rush to the bus? There are also more complex decisions - how to act in a conflict situation at work, how to convey your ideas to loved ones and what to do. In organizational and marketing psychology there are a huge number of colorful diagrams to explain how we make decisions. In essence, most of them boil down to the following pattern: Note: I do not in any way condemn this decision-making algorithm, but I think it is important to deepen its understanding. However, this algorithm is not the easiest to learn. Moreover, we don’t always have time to think. In particular, this applies to crisis situations. But I would like to share with you the metaphor of an exchange. Brokers are present on the exchange 24/7, monitoring stock prices, analysts’ forecasts, independently studying the stories of promising campaigns and analyzing their global market. They are in constant tension, since decisions are made extremely often. As a result, burnout, impulsiveness, dependence on the influences of the outside world and much more. And we, in fact, are the same brokers in our everyday life, it’s just that our decisions lie in a variety of areas, and we don’t we always notice how we accept them or what they can influence. What will change if you go up to the third floor not by stairs, but by elevator? What will replacing green bed linen with blue give you? What will happen if you buy more than 10 in a store % sour cream, and 15%? What will the decision not to decide anything else bring you? At least three of the questions posed may not change anything globally, but if we spend a lot of time on these decisions (for example, choosing bed linen in store for two hours), then we are a priori exposed to information noise, i.e. influences from the outside world (we listen to recommendations from sellers, consult with loved ones, etc.). What is information noise? - it is an unfiltered flow of information in which the amount of data proportionally reduces its usefulness for a person. What is its danger in the decision-making process? - a waste of our time (“I’m so tired choosing pillowcases for us that I won’t be able to do my hobbies today!”) - creating an excessive number of alternatives (“You mean, there’s also lavender linen? What did you say about the discount when you buy three sets?") - possible disorientation ("And my friend told me that they bring cheap synthetics to your store... Why should I believe you, my friend told me, and there is no point in her fooling me!") What to do about it? And the first step towards making decisions quickly is to learn to abstract from information noise. Remember that people around you may not share your goal. The same sellers in a bed linen store just want to sell a product; a certain friend may always be dissatisfied with everything. Thus, we must make decisions based on the following questions: - WHAT do I want to get? - HOW MUCH resources am I willing to spend? - WHAT should there be a result? - THE PRICE of my mistake, which I will pay if I allow myself to “try on” other people’s advice? It is the ability to take into account the power of information noise that facilitates the decision-making process. That is why I do not give you ready-made answers. Who knows, maybe my decision-making algorithm will turn out to be unprofitable for you? Each of the readers of this article who have reached the end of the text, in fact, already a priori understands the significance of our choices, and, therefore: accept my wish of good luck in clearing your consciousness from information noise.