5 decision-making tools I use every week


Hey Reader,

When I was in Mexico last month with the Kit team for one of our retreats, I led a session on how to make decisions.

Specifically, how to make better decisions faster so you can have a bias for action.

I walked the team through some of the tools I use all of the time, and I figured you might find them useful too.

Here are 5 of my favorite decision making frameworks:

1. Does this get better or worse with time?

When you're stressed about a problem, ask yourself two questions:

  1. Does this get better or worse with time?
  2. Do I have control over the outcome?

Only tackle problems that get worse with time AND whose outcome you control. Everything else will either fix itself or isn't worth your energy. This will help keep your stress low so you have more capacity for what you can influence.

2. One-way vs. two-way doors

How reversible is this decision you need to make?

This one comes from Jeff Bezos. Some decisions are one-way doors, meaning they’re hard or impossible to reverse. An example of this would be changing your company name. Others are two-way doors, which means they’re easy to reverse if you're wrong.

Most decisions are two-way doors. Don't waste time deliberating over something you can easily undo. Move fast if it’s a reversible decision. Take your time if it’s irreversible.

3. The 1:3:1 rule

This one's from Dan Martell's book Buy Back Your Time. It saves time if you have a team. Before someone can ask for help, they need to:

  • Define the 1 problem clearly
  • Come up with 3 potential solutions
  • Give 1 recommendation

I find this so helpful because clearly defining the problem gets you halfway there. Three solutions forces you to get creative, and then the recommendation shows you've thought it through.

4. Unless I hear differently (UIHD)

Instead of asking for permission or consensus, state what you're doing with a specific date:

"Unless I hear differently, I plan to ship this change on March 1st."

This is all about creating a bias for action, but it still gives people a chance to weigh in. It's good for decisions that aren't high stakes. Just be thoughtful about the timing and don't use this when key people are out or it’s a controversial decision.

5. Decision-Making Framework (DMF)

For big decisions or ones that have gotten bogged down, we use Coinbase's decision-making framework at Kit. It forces you to get clarity on:

  • What exactly are we deciding?
  • Who's the decision maker? (Often this is the person closest to the problem and not the most senior person)
  • What's the timeline? (With an actual date, not "end of quarter")
  • What are the exact options?

Half the time, just getting on the same page with things will give you enough clarity to move forward. We've used this for everything from designing Kit's logo to structuring our profit-sharing model.

These frameworks all create a bias for action and help you make decisions faster. Pick one decision you've been avoiding this week and try one of these.


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PODCAST

How To Train Your Mind Like The World’s Best Athletes

Justin Su’a has coached athletes in the MLB, NFL, and PGA, along with teams at Google, Lululemon, WWE, and the military. In this episode, he breaks down how top performers make critical decisions under pressure.

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We get into:

  • 5 things that separate pros from amateurs
  • How to build systems that hold up under pressure
  • How great leaders navigate difficult moments

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Have a great week!

—Nathan

Nathan Barry

I'm a designer who turned into a writer who turned into a startup CEO. My mission is to help creators earn a living. Subscribe for essays on building an audience and earning a living as a creator.

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