Process of Elimination - Systematic Tool in Making Choices

We all make both small and large decisions, or choices, during the course of a normal day, and during the course of our lives. There are any number of ways in which we try to come to a final choice, whether between just two choices or when there are dozens of choices.

Simple preference and emotion are two techniques that many people use, and that may work sometimes, but it can be difficult to come to the right or final choice, especially when there are many choices! Many of us tend to oscillate in our choice making, going back and forth, unable to come to a final decision.

I want to show you a very effective tool; an organized, systematic way to make good, right and final choices.

That simple tool is called the Process of Elimination. Eliminating all but the final choice.

I first learned of this process as a ship's electrician in the Navy. When analyzing faulty equipment, we could replace one component at a time with known good components, thereby eliminating different components to reveal the faulty one.

After the Navy, I used the process while riding dirt bikes with my brothers. While out in the middle of nowhere, miles from even a fire road, if the motorcycle engine wouldn't start, we needed to be able to figure out what was wrong and get it started! In that situation, it was usually going to be a problem with one of three areas: spark, air or fuel - but which one?

Using the Process of Elimination, we would check each of these three "components" to find the weakest, most likely culprit. Then we could focus on that area and try to fix it and get it running again.

These two simple examples show how the process works, using logic to eliminate poor or wrong choices.

The ideal situation in which to use the Process of Elimination is one where all the choices but one is easily eliminated - leaving an obvious one final choice. In a less than ideal situation, there may be several equally viable choices.

The Process of Elimination will primarily "narrow the field" for you when there are too many choices, eliminating most of the choices or options, narrowing it down to the final best choice.

But what if there are only two choices, or after you have used the process to narrow it down to the final two best choices?

When faced with just two choices, can you still use the Process of Elimination?

The way you can use it then is to weigh the "pros & cons" of each choice.

For me, I have to actually see these options, and will actually list the "pros and cons", written down in black and white, for each choice.

What I do is to put my mind-frame in the mode, if you will, of having actually decided first on one choice, for however long it takes, several days if necessary, and write down all the possible pros & cons for that one choice. Then do the same thing with the other option, again listing all the possible pros & cons for this other choice.

Seeking counsel from others may shed new light on one or both the choices, and may help to make that final choice. Along with counsel, seeking God's guidance in prayer, one can then use the Process of Elimination, looking at all the pros and all the cons for each possible choice, and using logic, simply eliminate one choice - thus making the final choice.

Once the final choice is made, stand by that choice and move forward! Don't look back and second-guess yourself, after that final choice is made. Just move forward with that choice.

When you are faced with either life's simple choices, or complex choices, I hope you can use this organized, systematic tool, the Process of Elimination, combined with God's guidance, to come to good, right and final choices.