For years, making decisions, especially in my career, felt like a real mental battle. Not complete paralysis, but a definite internal struggle. I was always searching for that "single right answer" to every problem, every choice. But the reality is, in the real world, particularly at work, "right" is often elusive. You're juggling shifting priorities, and much feels subjective. How do you ever feel confident in your decisions?

It used to frustrate me. Let's say we made a choice and it was successful, generated revenue, and satisfied customers. But what if we had chosen the other option, perhaps achieving much better results? Maybe we made the right choice, but overlooked something in the design or gave up because it required too much effort. What if we hadn't given up and had been even more successful? These thoughts inevitably lead one to consider all alternative universes and scenarios. This is actually an impossible and meaningless endeavor. Worse, basing choices solely on our current perspective felt risky – what if our perspective changed tomorrow?

The "Right Answer" Myth

It seemed everyone else had it all figured out, speaking with certainty, as if their ideas were divine decrees, not just... thoughts. These doubts chipped away at my confidence. I’d second-guess myself, a project manager supposed to be decisive and persuasive. Self-doubt is no ally. Looking back, I see I still delivered, made bold choices, often trusting my gut. But that underlying uncertainty lingered, sometimes thinking for the more defined world of coding.

These doubts, they didn’t stop me in my tracks, but they definitely chipped away at my confidence. I'd question myself, second-guess things. And when you're a project manager, supposed to be persuasive, decisive, leading the charge… self-doubt is not your friend. Looking back, I can see I still got things done, even made some bold calls, often going with my "gut" when the moment came. But that underlying uncertainty was always there.

The Liberation of "No Single Right Answer"

But then, slowly, something shifted. It wasn’t just an intellectual thing; it was deeper. I truly accepted that there isn’t just one "right" answer. And you know what? It wasn’t depressing or overwhelming at all. It was… freeing. It was like this huge weight lifted. Suddenly, I didn’t have to chase this impossible ideal of perfect decisions anymore, didn’t have to burn myself out trying. I could channel that energy elsewhere.

"Another Framework?"

Okay, so no single right answer. That's liberating, but it also leaves you with a big question: how do you make good decisions then? Do you just wing it? Should there be some kind of guide, a framework? I realized there’s no magic, one-size-fits-all solution for every company or product process. But I became convinced that every individual needs a dynamic, “living” process, something that can evolve, to enhance their personal decision-making within any context. A good, adaptable framework can bring in different viewpoints, make things transparent, improve teamwork, and cut down on conflicts. It moves decision-making beyond just one person’s instincts and provides a structure you can personally refine. This framework, of course, isn't designed to replace your company's existing procedures. Rather, it's a personal approach you can adapt to enhance your own decision-making capabilities within the company processes already in place. So, I started thinking about the key ingredients – the moving parts of this "living" personal framework. It’s not like this framework is set in stone once you build it. It’s meant to evolve. I think I will cover the details of this in another article.

The Clarity that Fuels You

The big lesson for me was this: When I stopped chasing the perfect decision and accepted that multiple paths could work, my energy surged. Instead of getting drained by searching for mythical "right" answers, I found power in understanding that our world is interconnected and ever-changing. By really understanding that change is constant and outcomes aren't always predictable, I stopped fighting against uncertainty. Paradoxically, this acceptance of life's dynamic nature gave me both mental clarity and renewed energy to move forward with confidence.