Having trouble making a decision? 4 questions will clarify your thinking

10:36 / 14.08.2026·25·For Life

Changing jobs, continuing a relationship, starting a new business or making a major purchase — sometimes a person spends days thinking about a single decision but still cannot reach a clear conclusion. This is because the mind often fixates on just one scenario: “What will happen if I do it?”

At such times, the “Decartes Square” method, widely used in psychology and coaching, helps examine a decision from four angles. It does not guarantee a 100-percent error-free decision, but it allows you to step back from your emotions and see the benefits, losses and missed opportunities at the same time.

Why isn’t a simple “yes or no” enough?

Before making a decision, people usually think about two things:

“What will happen if I do it?”
“What will happen if I don’t?”

The problem, however, is that every decision also has hidden sides.

If you change jobs, it is important not only to consider the possibility of earning a higher salary, but also what you will have to give up. If you stay, you should consider not only the security you will retain, but also what opportunities you may miss.

Decartes Square tries to reveal precisely these “hidden” aspects.

1. If this happens, what will happen?

The first question is the simplest:

“If I make this decision, what will I gain?”

For example, suppose you are considering changing jobs.

Your answers might include:

my salary will increase;
I will gain new experience;
I may join a good team;
my professional growth will accelerate;
new opportunities will emerge.

This is the section of the square devoted to positive outcomes.

The important thing is to list specific results rather than simply writing “things will get better.”

2. If this does not happen, what will happen?

The second question reveals a point that many people overlook:

“If I do not change anything, what will I preserve?”

Using the same job example:

the familiar environment will remain,
stability will be preserved,
there will be no stress from adapting to a new place,
I will not have to change my team or manager.

This question shows that remaining unchanged also has certain benefits.

Sometimes people idealize the option of “leaving” and completely forget the advantages of their current situation.

3. If this happens, what will not happen?

This is one of the most interesting points of the technique.

“If I make the decision, what will I lose?”

If you change jobs:

you may leave your old team,
you will lose a workplace close to home,
your free time may decrease,
new responsibilities will arise,
your previous conveniences will no longer be available.

Every “yes” contains a certain “no.”

This question may reveal the true cost of a major decision.

4. If this does not happen, what will not happen?

The most difficult question comes last:

“If I do not make the decision, what will I be unable to achieve?”

In other words, what is the cost of doing nothing?

If you do not change jobs:

your income may not increase,
you will not gain new experience,
you will miss important connections,
your professional growth will slow down.

This question reminds people that “staying” is also a decision.

Doing nothing is not a neutral option. It also has consequences.

For example, how does it work in relationships?

Imagine that a person is wondering, “Should I continue this relationship or end it?”

They might fill in the four sections as follows:

If I continue, what will happen?
A loved one will remain in my life, and there will be an opportunity to improve the relationship.
If I do not continue, what will happen?
I will escape the constant arguments, and I may feel more at peace.
If I continue, what will not happen?
The opportunity for a new relationship or a new life will decrease.
If I do not continue, what will not happen?
I will not find out whether this relationship could improve.

The decision then becomes a broader picture than a single feeling of “whether I love them or not.”

Why is it important to write down the answers?

Turning everything over in your mind is not the same as writing it down on paper.

When thoughts are put on paper:

repeated reasons become visible,
it becomes easier to distinguish emotions from facts,
you can see which risks are real and which are imagined.

It is especially useful to try to write at least 5–7 answers to each question. The first answers are usually the most obvious, while hidden anxieties and genuine needs may emerge in the later ones.

One mistake: “The option with the most pluses is the right one”

Decartes Square should not be treated as a mathematical formula.

If one side has 7 pluses and the other has 5, that does not automatically mean you should choose the first option.

This is because each factor has a different weight.

For example, “my salary will increase by 20 percent” may not be as important as “I will have to move to another city away from my family.”

So, after writing down the answers, add one more question:

“Which factor is most important to me?”

You do not have to make decisions without emotion

The technique is not meant to eliminate emotions.

Intuition, fear, desire and inner resistance also provide information. However, it is useful to examine them alongside the facts.

For example:

“I am afraid” — this is a fact.

But:

“I am afraid, therefore this decision is bad” — that is already a conclusion.

These two should not be confused.

When is this method especially useful?

Decartes Square usually works well when you have been stuck between two options for a long time.

For example:

changing jobs,
moving away,
making a decision about a relationship,
making a major purchase,
starting an education program or business,
saying “yes” or “no” to an important offer.

However, in medical, legal or high-risk financial decisions, this technique cannot replace professional advice.

Is there such a thing as a 100-percent correct decision?

No — it is impossible to know the future completely.

Even the most carefully considered decision can produce an unexpected outcome. Therefore, the goal is not to find a “decision that cannot go wrong.”

The goal is to take into account, as fully as possible, the information, values and potential consequences available at the time the decision is made.

This reduces the likelihood of later regretting:

“Why did I not think of this at all?”