If you’re looking for the best decision-making books to read, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will cover the top 5 books on decision making that you can read to improve your decision making skills. I have personally read each book and can recommend them.
You are reading: Books on decision making
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top 5 books on decision making
decisive: how to make better decisions in life and work by dan heath and chip heath
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Decisive is one of my favorite books to read about decision making. it’s easy to read and super informative.
In the book, the authors discuss some common mistakes we make when making decisions, and then give us a method we can follow to make better decisions.
propose the wrap method:
- Broaden your options
- Test your assumptions with reality
- Get some distance before deciding
- Prepare to be wrong
if you want an easy to read but highly informative book on decision making, this is great.
you can get the book here on amazon or read our book summary here.
(note: amazon links are affiliate links. thanks!)
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Betting Thinking: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
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Thinking about bets teaches us to think about decisions differently.
too often we base the “correctness” of our decisions on the outcome (rather than the process we went through to make the decision) and think of our decisions as “right or wrong”.
instead, duke says we should think of decisions like poker. everything about poker is probability. even bad hands win sometimes, and the best hands can lose too.
The important thing is that you make the best decision based on what you have and know. a good decision is not based on whether you won, but on the process you used to make that decision.
If we do this with our everyday decisions, we will make better decisions not only as individuals but also as groups. we also become more welcoming of input and disagreement.
if you want to improve the way you and your group think about decision making (and help avoid bad decisions), this book is for you.
you can get the book here on amazon or read the book summary here.
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Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. keney and howard raiffa
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Smart Choices is about, as you might guess, what the name says: making smart decisions.
To do this, they give a detailed step-by-step methodology to follow to make better decisions. his formula is called proact – with url at the end. means the following:
- problem: work on the right decision problem
- goal: specify your goals
- alternatives: create imaginative alternatives
- consequences: understand the consequences
- trade-offs: deal with your trade-offs
- uncertainty: clarify your uncertainties
- risk tolerance: think carefully about your risk tolerance
- linked decisions – consider linked decisions
If you want a detailed step-by-step formula for making better decisions, this would be a great book for you.
you can get the book here on amazon.
See Also: Best Praxis Prep Books
read more: 6 simple steps on how to make good decisions (in life and business)
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thinking, fast and slow by daniel kahneman
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thinking, fast and slow is an amazing book, and a very long one.
It is written by Daniel Kahneman, renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics.
goes into detail about how our brain works, the two “systems” in our brain, and the mistakes we’re prone to.
In fact, there are a couple of sections that caught my attention saying “that’s me!”, although I could also recognize my brain working the way he said in other sections.
If you’re looking for a detailed, informative (and enjoyable) book on how our brains work, the mistakes we’re prone to, and some ways to overcome them, I highly recommend this book.
you can get the book here on amazon.
Read More: 29 Decision-Making Mistakes You’re Making (And You Don’t Even Know It)
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the paradox of choice by barry schwartz
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The paradox of choice is another book that I really enjoyed reading. The main premise is this: we are in a world saturated with more and more options, and it is hurting us instead of helping us.
When we have so many options, it not only makes it more difficult to make a decision, it makes the choice we make less satisfying.
We can also fall into the trap of always looking for “the best” in a world of choices that we constantly live with regret and what could have been or wondering if there is something better that we missed.
if you want to learn how to be more satisfied with life and the decisions you make (and the pitfalls and ways to overcome too many decisions), this is a good book for you.
you can get it here on amazon.
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if that’s not enough for you, here are some honorable mentions:
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nudge: improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness by richard h. Thaler and Cass R. sunstein
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nudge is about how the way we present or offer options can affect decisions.
no option is ever presented in a neutral way. Knowing this, as well as our biases and biases, we can present options in a way that promotes better decisions, both for ourselves and for others.
An example the authors give is this: the way food is distributed in a school cafeteria.
Whatever is the food that is put first in front is the food that is bought the most. So do you put out the food that is the healthiest, that will bring the most profit, or what?
suggest that we present choices in ways that promote better health and well-being for others. you still give choice, but if you can never be truly neutral in offering choices, you offer them in the way that best benefits others.
interested in learning more? you can get the book here on amazon.
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why not?: how to use everyday ingenuity to solve problems big and small by barry nalebuff and ian ayres
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why not?, as the title suggests, it is about how to use everyday ingenuity to solve problems.
Most “original” ideas come from 2 basic methods: problems looking for solutions, solutions looking for problems.
The authors provide different methods and tools that you can use to help solve problems, such as:
- ask what croesus would do
- feel the pain of others
- see where else would work
- and turn it around
for more information, check out the book here on amazon.
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algorithms for living: the informatics of human decisions by brian christian and tom griffiths
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algorithms to live by is a good book because it uses solutions to computer problems and applies them to us as humans.
There are many similar problems, such as which tasks to focus on first and how to classify and organize them. the book uses computer solutions to tell us when to stop looking and choose a house or a parking space, how to maintain a balance between the familiar and try the new, and more.
To view the book, you can find it on amazon here.
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how we decide by jonah lehrer
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What I remember most about this book is how it talks about the importance of emotions in decisions.
It is often said that we should remove the emotion from the decision and use only logic and rationality, but evidence has shown that this makes us make worse decisions.
In fact, one example he gave is the fact that psychopaths feel fewer emotions, which can lead to harmful actions.
lehrer reviews how our minds make decisions and how we can use that to make better decisions.
You can see the book here on amazon.
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See Also: Terry Pratchett – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com
which decision making book will you choose?
As you can see, there are a variety of excellent books on decision making, each with a different twist. I encourage you to take a look at them.
if you’re not sure where to start or on the fence, start with decisive (get the pun? :)).
I also recommend that you check out our recommended books on problem solving, as problem solving is often tied to decision making.
now for you: have you read any of these books? what were your thoughts on them? Did I miss a great book?
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