The Smart Thinker method
- QuestionWhat could go wrong — and what am I assuming?
- TestWhat's the cheapest check? Get evidence, not promises.
- DecideWhat's the smallest safe step I could recover from?
- LearnWhat happened — and what will I check next time?
Guides
Better decisions, in plain English.
Short, practical guides built on one simple method: Question → Test → Decide → Learn. Ask what could go wrong, run the cheapest check, take the smallest safe step — then learn from how it turned out.
How to make the right decision (when you're not sure)
A simple, repeatable way to make the right decision when you're unsure: Question → Test → Decide → Learn. Ask what could go wrong, run the cheapest check, take the smallest safe step, then learn from it.
How to avoid making bad decisions
Most bad decisions come from acting on an unchecked assumption under pressure. Five practical habits to avoid them at home and at work.
How to think smarter about decisions
Thinking smarter isn't about IQ. It's a few habits: question your first answer, look for what would prove you wrong, and test before you commit.
How to make a big decision without regret
Regret comes from skipping a check you knew you should make. How to make big life and money decisions you can stand behind, whatever happens.
What is a pre-mortem, and how do you run one?
A pre-mortem means imagining a decision has already failed and asking why. A simple 10-minute version for individuals, families and teams.
Worst-case scenario thinking: how to use it without becoming negative
Picturing the worst case isn't pessimism — it's a tool. How to use worst-case thinking to make calmer, safer decisions without spiralling.
How to test a business idea before quitting your job
Don't risk your savings on an untested idea. Cheap ways to prove people will pay before you resign or invest heavily.
How to avoid rental and deposit scams
Rental scams rely on urgency and a price that's too good. The checks that expose a fake listing or agent before you pay a deposit.
How to stop making impulsive decisions
Impulsive decisions happen when urgency beats evidence. Simple rules that put a short pause between the urge and the commitment.
Decision-making training for teams and workplaces
How to train a team to make better decisions: shared language, realistic scenarios, and live sessions where everyone votes and learns together.
How to stop overthinking a decision (and finally choose)
Stuck going round in circles? How to break decision paralysis: match effort to stakes, find the one fact that matters, and take a small reversible step.
How to make good decisions under pressure
Deadlines, pushy sellers and urgent requests cause most costly mistakes. How to keep your judgement when someone is rushing you.
Should I quit my job? How to decide without regret
A practical way to decide whether to quit your job: find what's really wrong, test the alternative cheaply, and leave in stages rather than all at once.
Decision-making frameworks compared: which one should you use?
A plain-English comparison of popular decision-making frameworks — pros and cons lists, 10-10-10, the Eisenhower matrix, reversible vs. irreversible decisions, pre-mortems and more.
How to make better decisions: 7 habits that actually work
Practical ways to make better decisions in everyday life and at work: match effort to the stakes, name the key assumption, check it cheaply, commit in stages and review the outcome.
How to make better choices in everyday life
How to make better choices day to day: know your priorities in advance, spot the moments that lead to poor choices, and use a 60-second check before committing.
How to think clearly when your head is full
Six practical ways to think more clearly: get the problem on paper, separate facts from assumptions and feelings, find the real question and narrow your options.
How to improve your decision-making skills
What good decision-making skills are, how to practise them with scenarios and a decision journal, and how to show them at work and in job interviews.
Cognitive biases that lead to bad decisions (and how to counter them)
The cognitive biases behind many everyday mistakes — confirmation bias, anchoring, sunk cost, overconfidence and more — with a practical counter for each.
How to decide between two options when you can't choose
Stuck between two choices? Find the fact that would settle it, check it cheaply, favour the option that's easier to undo, and set a review date.
How to compare quotes and proposals before you choose a supplier
Comparing two or three quotes? Check each one against the same written requirements, find what's missing, compare how much you pay before delivery, and send the gaps back as questions before you commit.
What to check before you pay a deposit to a supplier or tradesperson
Before paying a deposit, confirm what it buys, when the rest is due, how the work is accepted, who owns the result and what happens if things go wrong — in writing.
Essential decision models
Tap a card to read it and copy a ready-made prompt.
Take the method into Claude or ChatGPT.
Copy or download a ready-made prompt, and have your AI assistant walk your decision through Question → Test → Decide → Learn, the same way we do here.