What decision is weighing on your mind?
Big choices—especially those that come with uncertainty—can feel paralyzing. I know this firsthand. Being decisive and embracing the unknown hasn’t always come naturally to me, and I imagine I’m not alone.
If you're feeling stuck, there’s a simple yet powerful tool that might help: Cartesian Questions. This decision-making framework, courtesy of the philosopher René Descartes, challenges the way your brain typically evaluates a predicament. By systematically considering a choice from multiple angles, you may uncover self-limiting beliefs, challenge assumptions, and see your options more clearly.
The method is simple: you take a decision you’re struggling with and answer four key questions. Here’s how I applied it when deciding whether to leave the corporate world and go into business for myself as a coach:
✔️ I will get to focus on the part of my profession I’m most passionate about.
✔️ I will have control over my schedule, allowing for more time with my family.
✔️ I will possibly experience less stress.
✔️ I won’t have a reliable salary.
✔️ I won’t have a clear roadmap for what work will look like this year.
✔️ I will maintain a sense of stability and familiarity in my work life.
✔️ I will continue viewing coaching as the "job after the job."
✔️ I will need to keep working full-time while coaching on the side.
✔️ I won’t get to see if this growing voice in my head—the one telling me I really could be an entrepreneur—is right.
At first glance, these questions might seem straightforward. But walking through them forces you to step outside your default way of thinking. Instead of just fixating on the risks or rewards, you begin to see the full landscape of your decision—the trade-offs, the hidden fears, the assumptions holding you back.
In my case, the exercise didn’t eliminate my doubts, but it gave me clarity. It helped me see that while uncertainty felt daunting, the bigger risk was staying where I was and wondering what could have been.
If you're facing a tough decision, take a few moments to work through these four questions. Be as thorough as possible—the more honestly you answer, the more useful the insights will be.
You might just uncover the perspective shift you need to move forward.
So, what decision is weighing on your mind? And what might happen if you looked at it from all four angles?