When you feel stuck on a decision, force yourself to name exactly three options, cross off the worst, and commit fully to one of the remaining two. The number three works because one option is a trap and ten is a stall, while three is enough to break an either-or deadlock without overloading a stressed mind.
Naming exactly three options, dropping the worst and committing to one is a rule of thumb that pushes out of both fixation and over-thinking.
A Stressed Mind Sees One Option Or Too Many
Under pressure people often fix on a single option (tunnel thinking) or hold so many in mind that none gets chosen. Asking for exactly three is a mechanical way to push out of both. Three is a practical rule of thumb and not a scientific constant: its value is that it is small and fixed, so you do not have to decide how many to think about.
Method: Three, Cut One, Commit
Step 1: Name three options Say them aloud or write them down. Include the obvious one. Include one that is a variation, such as the same action done later or smaller. If you can only find two, the third can be “do nothing for now” or “ask someone”.
Step 2: Cross off the worst Remove the one with the highest risk or the lowest chance of working. This is usually quick.
Step 3: Choose between the last two If neither is clearly better, pick either. A choice you commit to is worth more than a slightly better one you hesitate over.
Step 4: Commit and act Start. Check the result after a short interval and adjust. See The OODA Loop.
Worked Example
A group is cut off by a flooded road at dusk. Options: (1) wait where they are, (2) walk back to the last shelter, (3) try to ford the road. Option 3 is the riskiest, so cross it off. Between waiting and walking back, pick walking back because it leads to known shelter. The decision takes about a minute.
Common Mistakes
- Listing three versions of the same thing — make them genuinely different.
- Never crossing one off — the elimination is what turns a list into a decision.
- Using it for decisions that need real information — if you lack a key fact, get the fact first.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Avoiding Analysis Paralysis — when even three options feel too many
- Combine with: Time-Boxing Choices — adding a deadline