The Decision-Making Matrix—A Surprising Tool for Choosing What to Pursue Next

Chris, an entrepreneur with a flood of opportunities and very limited time, used to take a haphazard approach—jumping on whatever seemed exciting. But as sticky notes and digital files piled up, he started to feel scattered, missing deadlines and small wins.

One day, after a particularly stressful week, he decided to list every potential project on a whiteboard. He then rated each for how much impact it could make, how tough it would be, how profitable it seemed, and whether it aligned with his bigger goals. The process, surprisingly, revealed a clear front-runner and some easy cuts. A project that was fun but had low profit and huge effort became an obvious 'later'; another, which he’d overlooked, suddenly topped the chart.

This approach, rooted in decision science, is called multi-criteria analysis or weighted scoring. By making choices visible and systematic, it allows leaders to sidestep “shiny object” syndrome, letting data and fit guide the next action—not just excitement or fear.

Whenever you feel bombarded by options or pulled in a dozen directions, pause and dedicate a few minutes to writing everything out. Use simple scores to weigh impact, effort, potential profit, and how well each aligns with what you actually care about. Add them up; don’t be surprised if an unexpected winner emerges. Let these numbers be your guide for what to act on first—maybe not forever, but it gets you moving in the right direction, clearing away that paralyzing fog of indecision. Give yourself permission to shelve (not abandon!) the lower scorers, and focus on building momentum with the best choice.