What makes a decision a great one? It often comes down to this: knowing your musts from your wants. In this episode of All We Know About the Stuff We Know, Dave and Ashley walk through the fifth and final “thing you need to know” about making better decisions—how to use decision criteria to cut through the noise and get clarity.
You’ll learn:
- Why a pros and cons list often leaves you more confused
- The difference between musts (non-negotiables) and wants (priorities, not requirements)
- How to apply this concept to everyday decisions (buying a home) and billion-dollar ones (relocating a production plant)
- What it looks like when teams use this process—and what happens when they don’t
From Ashley’s story about potentially living in a pool house to Dave’s consulting tale about a multimillion-dollar Boeing-related decision, we explore how identifying your musts early can save you time, money, stress, and possibly your marriage (or at least your Sunday afternoons spent arguing about acreage).
Mentioned in this episode:
- Our Decision Focus courses and workshops: https://www.focustools.com/decision-focus
- Check out our book! https://www.focustools.com/5things
- Watch us (and subscribe!) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@focustoolsforlife
05:41 Decision-Making Framework Overview
08:03 Understanding Decision-Making Fears
10:10 The Importance of Decision Criteria
12:35 Cascading Decisions in Life
14:43 Defining Musts vs. Wants in Decision-Making
17:10 Applying Musts to Real Estate Decisions
19:33 Team Decision-Making Dynamics
22:25 Navigating Manufacturing Decisions
24:25 Establishing Musts and Wants in Decision Making
29:04 The Importance of Clarity in Decision Criteria
32:54 Applying Musts and Wants to Personal Decisions
37:14 Complex Decision-Making in High-Stakes Situations
44:10 The Impact of Clarity on Decision Outcomes
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.