Decision making can be stressful and anxiety inducing, but the ability to make decisions quickly is often what separates the most effective leaders from others. We connected with some of the best and brightest do-ers we know and asked them how they developed their decision-making skills.

Paul Acosta

I was raised in a family of seven children, so decisions had to come fast and live with your consequences. As I grew older, the military helped me become an even stronger decision maker because every decision made was important to any and all missions daily. When I joined the volunteer fire department here in Brush, decisions became life and death, and I felt that making simple choices in life was much easier.  Read More>>

Caden Kendell

Being a Brand Builder & Operator of a small startup has pushed me to develop strong decision-making skills — mostly out of necessity. I handle everything: sourcing, testing, customer service, logistics, even vacuuming the floors. There’s no one else to pass things off to, so every decision I make matters. If something goes wrong, I feel it immediately. Read More>>

Sierra Jones

There have been times when I was paralyzed to make a decision, afraid of making the wrong one. But I’ve learned there’s no right or wrong — there are only choices and lessons. Over time, I became more self-assured, knowing I can always find a way through. When you realize that, you’re not as afraid to try things or take the leap. Read More>>

Nick Smith

My decision-making skills have been shaped by years of experience in two fields that demand both precision and accountability, engineering and aviation. With a background in aerospace engineering, including both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I learned to approach problems from a first-principles perspective: break them down to their most fundamental components, strip away assumptions, and build back up from what is definitively true. That mindset has stayed with me through every stage of my career. Read More>>