We make decisions all day long. Some of them are based on careful consideration, some are based on past experiences, and some just seem to come without much thought. Decisions come in all forms. Results can be good, bad, or unclear.

Research tells us that our decision-making ability is not necessarily linked to intelligence, but rather to personality, motivation, and willingness to learn. We all have goals and we want to find a way to reach them.

More complex decisions require problem-solving, strategies, re-framing, creative thinking, and possibly seeking advice from others. In addition, there often is the matter of evaluating the difficulty of the task. Is it within or beyond a person’s perceived capabilities?

There is another key player in the mix when it comes to making effective decisions and following up with appropriate actions. It has to do with being able to reflect on one’s thinking and make adjustments that bring about the desired outcome.

The intricacies of how we make decisions are directly related to our facility of metacognition. Metacognition is often referred to as the ability to “think about our thinking.” It includes knowledge about oneself and the ability to select effective strategies, as well as being able to evaluate task........

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