Choosing Between Two Options | Jack Lack's Listening Chair

Some decisions aren't about gathering more information — they're about two real options, each with something to recommend it, and no way to have both. This tool won't choose for you. It will help you see clearly what you already know, so the choice, when you make it, is yours with open eyes.

One factor matters more than the others: whether a choice can be undone if it turns out wrong. A decision that's easy to reverse deserves less worry than one that isn't. This tool asks you to flag those specifically, rather than treat every factor as equally weighty.

Step one

What do I want to achieve?

Before the options — what this choice is meant to serve

This might be a feeling, an outcome, or a change in your circumstances — anything that would count as success once a decision is made. This works best after reading Making Better Decisions.

Step two

Name both options

Plainly, as you'd say them out loud

Option A

Option B

Step three

What actually matters here

Add each thing this decision turns on

There's no fixed list — every decision turns on different things. Add as many or as few factors as feel real. For each, say which option serves it better, and tick the box if getting it wrong would be hard or impossible to undo.

Factor	Which serves it better?	Can't easily reverse out

Step four

The gut check

Before you look at the summary below

Setting the list aside for a moment — which way is your gut actually leaning?

If your gut and the list below disagree, what do you think that's telling you?

Step five

Where this leaves you

A plain reading, not a score

Name both options and add at least one factor to see a summary here.