The Secret to Better Decisions

Read time: 4 minutes

I told you I’d keep you posted.

And here we are, just 3 days later, with an update!

A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak at VDS 2024, Southern Europe’s top tech event.

With other speakers like Steve Chen (YouTube’s co-founder) and Randi Zuckerberg (yes, Mark’s sister!).

When I first found out, it felt surreal.

Fast forward to just a few days ago, and there I was.

I connected with hundreds of remarkable people — top investors, founders, and leaders.

Plus, a few people were interested in my coaching right after my panel.

Which was on The Role of Data in Media Innovation.

In my case, specifically on using data in content creation and coaching.

Here are — in under 4 minutes — the key insights from my 30-minute talk in Valencia:

Working with leaders in high-pressure environments, I’ve seen how decision-making often happens in a matter of seconds.

They frequently rely on gut feelings or snap judgments to make decisions.

These instincts are informed by their experience and intuition, but emotions like stress, fear, or urgency can cloud judgment.

Take, for example, one of my clients (let's call him Clint) who leads a large media company.

He is often required to make decisions on tight deadlines, where the stakes are high, and there is no room for error.

In those moments, Clint may feel that his gut instinct is the best route to follow. However, just because he feels something doesn’t mean he needs to act on it immediately.

This brought me to one of my favourite quotes from Viktor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning.

(which I wrote another more detailed letter about here).

Frankl describes the space between stimulus and response.

During the panel, I framed this "space" as the critical moment where data can come in.

It's a valuable opportunity for leaders to pause and check the data.

Because that brief moment of pause — the space between our emotional response and our final decision — is where we can consult data to ensure that we’re not simply reacting emotionally.

The data can act as a filter — to challenge our emotions or validate them.

That's why I encourage leaders to ultimately view data not as a limitation, but as a practical tool.

In Clint's case, he once felt the urge to push a content strategy based on instinct.

But, in that moment — he remembered our session. Our words. Our pre-planned strategy.

And he wasn't going to make the same mistake he once made.

Especially given that he's aware of the following —

So as he paused & consulted the data — the metrics showed that audience engagement on similar strategies had been low.

And therefore, simply pausing to check & see if it was aligned with his initial gut instinct eventually led him to reconsider his approach.

It doesn't mean that the data dictated his decision.

Instead, it gave him perspective to make a more informed choice.

Ultimately, it became clear that what felt right in the moment wasn't necessarily aligned with the audience's preferences.

The conclusion?

Data doesn't replace human-decision making.

Rather, it helps to guide it.

At the end of the day, it's about balancing emotion, intuition, & data to ensure that decisions are not solely reactive but also measured & thoughtful.

And more importantly — intentional.

I love this topic.

It encapsulates the essence of my coaching approach.

Much of my work with business owners and founders centres around helping them regulate their emotional responses, especially during high-pressure moments at work and at home.

It's so easy to feel rushed or stressed when emotions & stakes are running high.

However, part of emotional intelligence is knowing you can pause.

And when to pause.

In our coaching sessions with people like Clint, we use data to analyze past decision outcomes & explore how emotions influenced those choices.

In this case, the data can be quantifiable, like company metrics on sales and engagement.

Or, it might be qualitative, drawn from his journaling and daily reflections — tracking his emotional responses, actions, focus, mood, and energy levels.

By analyzing all this, we adjust the overall decision-making process.

And it ends up ensuring that while emotions are indeed acknowledged and taken into account, the data helps clarify the best course of action.

The best part?

It's still human-centred.

Because we all know that the gut instinct is often rooted in years of experience and can be valuable.

However, combining gut feeling with data can create a more holistic decision-making process.

Clint might still trust his gut — strengthening his self-confidence — but the data ensures alignment between intuition and reality.

And that is the ultimate key.

This is how people like Clint continually perform well at their jobs.

Bringing that satisfaction into the other remaining areas of his life.

Plus, by integrating data into emotional or intuitive decisions, Clint can avoid short-term emotional reactions that might feel right in the moment but lead to long-term negative outcomes.

When we take that pause and check the data, we’re not just making decisions for the present, we’re making choices that serve the long-term vision of the individual, company, & team.

This is the power of intentionality, my friends.

We don't let our emotions dictate our actions.

You become the rightful owner of your life.

One that is intentionally gathering data throughout the day — on everything you’re doing, not doing, what’s going well, and what isn’t.

It's all here to serve you.

Everything is a process of data collection.

You simply just need to be aware of it.

This is the only way to move forward in a way that most benefits you.

And ultimately, if it benefits you — it will benefit your job, your family, & your entire Life.

Intentionality does that.

It can change your Life drastically.

But, only if you make way & time for it.

The choice is yours.

Choose wisely.

Thank you for reading.

Much love!

Julian

PS. If you're looking for deeper insights & reflections on this topic, the video recording with my talk at VDS will be coming out soon. Stay tuned!