← Glossary/Decision
Pros, Cons, Unknowns
List three good things, three bad things, and three things you do not yet know about a choice.
Example
Joining a new sports team. Pros: meet people, get fitter, fun. Cons: less time, costs money, early mornings. Unknowns: how friendly the team is, how strict the coach is, whether you will still want to do it in three months.
How it fits in
A normal pros and cons list ignores what you do not yet know, which is usually where the surprises hide. Naming three unknowns turns them into the next thing to investigate, instead of leaving them invisible. The unknowns column often reveals that the decision is not really about the listed pros and cons at all.
Practise it on the platform
Related terms
Whether the same action helps or hurts depends on the situation around it.
A way to make hard choices: picture yourself at eighty and ask which option you would regret skipping more.
Make decisions inside what you actually understand. The aim is not the biggest circle, but knowing where its edge is.