My best friend is an over thinker. It takes a lot to get her to make a decision. I helped her use journal prompts to stop making rubbish decisions. Of course, I wrote it all down and called it Journal Prompts - A Guide for Over thinkers.
Ever noticed how you can spend 45 minutes deciding what to watch on Netflix? Yet, you make life-changing decisions based on a gut feeling and half a conversation with your mate.
Most of us are desperately trying to make good choices. At the same time, our brains are cluttered with everything from work deadlines. We also wonder if we've become the type of person who needs fancy coffee beans.
This is where strategic journal prompts come in. They aren't some wishy-washy exercise in self-discovery. Instead, they're a practical tool for cutting through the noise. This helps you make decisions you won't regret after your second coffee of the day.
I started using this technique when facing a career change. I went round in circles for months. Then, I developed a set of prompts that helped me sort through the mental clutter. They also helped me actually understand what I wanted. It was not what I thought I should want. Or what my LinkedIn network would approve of, but what I actually wanted.
Here are the game-changing prompts for better decision-making:
The "What's Really Going On" prompts:
- What assumptions am I making about this situation?
- What would change if I approached this from a different perspective?
- What outcome am I secretly hoping for?
- Am I reacting to the situation or proactively shaping it?
- What emotions are clouding my judgment right now?
The "Future Me" prompts:
- What would the best version of me want to focus on here?
- How might this decision shape my future relationships or goals?
- What regrets might I have if I don’t make this choice?
- What will I wish I’d done if this turns out differently than expected?
- What small step could I take today to make this decision easier for my future self?
The "Reality Check" prompts:
- What am I overestimating or underestimating about this situation?
- What’s the most likely outcome if I take this path?
- How would I explain this choice to someone who doesn’t know me?
- What does success look like for this decision?
- If I were an outsider looking in, what would I think about my options?
The "Hidden Stuff" prompts:
- What fear is driving this decision?
- What stories am I telling myself that might not be true?
- What unspoken rules or expectations am I obeying?
- Who or what is influencing me without my awareness?
- What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?
Use these prompts when you're stuck on any decision. It could be anything from whether to change jobs to if you should finally get that fringe you've been considering. Write quickly, without censoring yourself. Sometimes your first thought is more honest than your carefully considered one.
The magic happens when you start spotting patterns. Maybe you'll notice you often make decisions based on what might impress others rather than what actually works for you.
Perhaps you'll realise you're still letting that one critical comment from your old boss influence your career choices.
Here's how to make it practical:
Keep a "Decision Journal" and when you're faced with a choice, run through a few key prompts.
Review your entries regularly. Notice which decisions you felt good about and which ones you regretted. What patterns emerge?
Pay attention to your language. If you're writing "should" a lot, you might be making decisions based on obligation rather than what you actually want.
Write about decisions after you've made them too. What worked? What didn't? This builds your personal database of decision-making wisdom.
The brilliant thing about this approach is that it works for both big life decisions and everyday choices. Should you buy a house? Change careers? Finally tell your flatmate their cooking is terrible? Run it through these prompts first.
Remember - the goal isn't to eliminate uncertainty (that's impossible unless you're psychic or delusional). It's about making clearer, more intentional choices based on what actually matters to you.
And if all else fails, you’ll still have written documentation. It will show why you thought that new hairstyle was a good idea.
This is a practical framework for using journal prompts as a decision-making tool. Regular journal writing with targeted prompts can help cut through mental clutter. This practice leads to more intentional and authentic decisions aligned with your true priorities.
