In Uncertain Times, Ask These Questions Before You Make a Decisionby Cheryl Strauss Einhorn - HBR

Welcome to the Perma-Crisis (Yes, That’s a Real Thing 😅)

Let’s be real: everything feels kinda... unstable. From AI turning industries upside down, to climate disasters, political chaos, and economic curveballs—it’s not just one crisis anymore. It’s ALL the crises. All the time. Welcome to the age of the perma-crisis. 🎢

If you're a college student or a young entrepreneur, this can be both terrifying and weirdly exciting. You're building your future in a world that refuses to sit still. That means your ability to make smart, bold, strategic decisions in the middle of all this noise is your real superpower.

But how do you actually do that? With questions. Not answers. Stick with me—this is about to get good.

Chapter 1: Why Old-School Thinking Doesn’t Cut It Anymore

Let’s start here: most decision-making advice out there is built for stability. For a world where things are predictable and you just have to choose the "best" option based on some data and a deadline.

That’s not the world we’re in anymore. We’re in the era of rapid change. What worked yesterday might be useless tomorrow. So clinging to old logic? That’s a trap. Like using a map from 2010 to drive through a brand-new city—it’ll get you lost fast.

This means traditional business questions like:

• What's the ROI?

• What are the key milestones?

• What’s the timeline?

...can actually hurt your thinking if they make you miss the bigger picture.

Instead, we need questions that expand our thinking. That open up new ways to act. That help us deal with complexity without freaking out. Ready for the good stuff?

Chapter 2: The 4 Questions That Will Save Your Brain (And Your Business)

1. What decision today will still make sense a year from now?

🔥 Why it matters: It’s easy to panic and make quick decisions that feel right in the moment—but that you’ll regret six months later. This question forces you to zoom out. To think long-term, even when the short-term feels urgent.

🎯 Use it when:

• You’re deciding whether to accept a job offer you’re unsure about.

• You’re tempted to drop your side hustle because school feels overwhelming.

• Your startup is under pressure to make fast cash, even if it compromises values.

📘 Real-world inspiration: Imagine Alana, a leader at a global brand. Her finance team says: “Let’s cut the sustainability budget—it’ll save us tons right now.” But instead of saying yes, she asks: “Will this decision still make sense a year from now?”

Answer? Nope. Cutting sustainability would hurt the brand’s trust with Gen Z consumers who

care about climate change. So she preserves key initiatives and pauses the less critical ones. Smart move.

✨ Lesson: This question filters out noise and reminds you what really matters.

2. If this decision becomes a story about my leadership, what would it teach?

🔥 Why it matters: Your choices say something about who you are as a leader. As a human.

As someone other people trust. This question isn’t just about strategy—it’s about values.

🎯 Use it when:

• You’re unsure whether to speak up in a meeting.

• You’re weighing a shortcut that feels sketchy.

• You’re deciding how to respond to conflict in your team.

📘 Real-world inspiration: Raj is VP at a tech startup. His team is ready to launch a new app, but someone raises a concern about user privacy. Launching now = investor praise. Delaying = risk. He asks: “If this becomes a story about our leadership, what will it teach?”

He delays, improves data protection, explains the delay publicly. Result? Trust goes up—and the investors respect the move. A year later, that decision is seen as legendary.

✨ Lesson: Every decision builds your leadership legacy. Make it count.

3. What if this isn’t the storm—what if it’s the climate?

🔥 Why it matters: Most of us wait for the chaos to pass. But what if this is the new normal?

That changes everything. It means you stop holding your breath—and start building systems that can breathe in the chaos.

🎯 Use it when:

• You’re stuck in a never-ending group project with people who don’t show up.

• Your startup team keeps missing deadlines and you’re not sure if it’s a fluke.

• The economy keeps flipping, and you’re not sure when to invest.

📘 Real-world inspiration: Darryl’s company keeps getting bad service from their packaging vendor. He keeps trying to fix it. But then his team asks: “What if this isn’t a glitch—it’s just how things are now?”

Boom. Mind shift. He brings in a second vendor, gives the first one 90 days to step up. Outcome? Better service, less stress, more options.

✨ Lesson: Stop waiting for the storm to end. Start preparing for a messy climate.

4. What’s the cost of waiting?

🔥 Why it matters: You don’t need more time. You need better timing. This question flips the fear of moving too fast into clarity about the risk of moving too slow.

🎯 Use it when:

• You’re procrastinating a big career move.

• You’re scared to launch your idea until it’s "perfect."

• Your team keeps saying "let’s wait until things calm down."

📘 Real-world inspiration: Monica wants to hire a marketing exec for her startup—but the economy is rocky. Her gut says wait. But then she asks: “What’s the cost of waiting?”

Answer: They’ll miss the momentum, lose top candidates, and let competitors steal attention. She hires. The new exec brings in big wins fast.

✨ Lesson: Doing nothing is a decision—and often a costly one.

Chapter 3: How to Practice These Questions (So You Don’t Freeze Next Time)

Knowing the questions is one thing. Using them is where the magic happens. Here’s how to turn them into habits:

📓 Create a "Decision Journal" — Each time you face a tough choice, jot down:

• What decision you made

• Which of the 4 questions helped

• What you learned afterward

💬 Use them in group chats — Next time your team is stuck, drop one of the questions into the convo. Watch how fast the energy shifts.

🎯 Set calendar reminders — Put one question as a weekly reminder on your phone. Let it nudge you into better thinking.

🧠 Reframe FOMO with clarity — Fear of missing out makes us impulsive. These questions help you trade FOMO for grounded, gutsy choices.

Chapter 4: Bonus Scenarios for Students + Entrepreneurs 🎓💼

Here’s how these questions play out in YOUR world:

Job Offers: Should I accept this internship or wait for a better one?

• Q1: Will this still make sense a year from now?

• Q4: What’s the cost of waiting?

Startup Decisions: Should we launch our MVP now or keep polishing?

• Q2: If this becomes a story of our leadership, what will it teach?

• Q3: What if the market chaos is permanent?

College Life: Should I confront my professor/team/roommate about something unfair?

• Q2: What story does this decision tell about my character?

• Q1: Will I be proud of this choice later?

Investing Time: Should I spend my free hours on TikTok or building my LinkedIn/personal brand?

• Q4: What’s the cost of waiting to build my future?

Boom. Now you’re thinking like a strategic badass.

Chapter 5: Moving from Hesitation to Bold, Thoughtful Action

The truth? You don’t need perfect clarity to make good decisions.

You need:

• Better questions 🧠

• A long-term mindset 🔭

• The courage to act in uncertainty 🦁

The four questions in this guide aren’t just decision tools—they’re leadership tools. And you don’t have to be a CEO to use them. You just have to care about making choices that matter.

In the age of perma-crisis, fortune favors the curious, the strategic, and the brave.

So next time the world feels chaotic (which it probably will by the end of this paragraph), pause... and ask yourself:

• What decision today will still make sense a year from now?

• If this choice becomes a story, what would it teach?

• What if this isn’t temporary—what if it’s the new normal?

• What’s the cost of waiting?

Let those questions guide you. Your future self will thank you.

Stay bold. Stay curious. Stay in the game. Click on Read More to Read the Full Article.

Read More