Let's face it... we live in an impulsive society. Get it now, pay for it someday is the mantra of our society. It's true in finance, but it's also true in life. You see, people seldom stop to think about their decisions and the results are beginning to show. Today, many people make no progress in their lives because they spend most of their time cleaning up the messes caused by impulsive decisions. It doesn't have to be this way.

If you stop and analyze the crises in your life, you probably will discover that most of them could have been avoided. But, instead of anticipating the consequences of our actions and changing our decisions, we act impulsively and postpone the inevitable. There are some rules related to decision-making that might help us avoid having so many messes to clean up.

Use your brain. If you slow down for a few minutes and collect your thoughts, you will get a better understanding as to what you should do. When it comes to making decisions, we allow people, emotions, and desires to influence us more than rational thought. So, slow down and put your brain in gear. You might be surprised at just how critical your decision is.

Get some help. Whenever you make a decision, it is always a good idea to get a second opinion. Your perspective is biased by your desires. If you can enlist the help of someone who has a neutral point of view, you might gain a perspective you otherwise would miss.

Evaluate your motives. People make impulsive decisions to satisfy some poorly constructed motives. "What will people think about me if they see me in that old car?" Who cares? If your car is that important to other people, let them pay for it! The car you drive neither takes away from or adds to your personal worth. That's a myth created by people who want to sell cars!

Take a break. Learn the signs of impulsiveness and have a plan of action. When your heart begins to race and your palms get sweaty, your body is telling you to step back and take a break. Before making any significant decision, impose a moratorium of 24-48 hours. Get away from the situation so you can see it fully.

Make a list. Write down the pros and cons of a decision... all of them! Be honest with yourself about both sides. If the pros outweigh the cons, go for it. But if the cons outweigh the pros, the answer is no.

Create a timeline. What will be the consequences of this action in 8 hours? 24 hours? one week? one month? one year? five years? What looks like fun right now might have long-term negative consequences.

I know a man who rationalized his decision to lease a high-end vehicle. About a year into the lease, his financial situation changed and he couldn't afford the payments. Subsequently, the car was repossessed and he was presented with a bill for more than the original cost of the vehicle. To pay off the debt, he sold his house and moved into an apartment. The apartment complex caught fire and he lost all of his possessions. That's a tragic example of the snowball effect of impulsive decisions.

So, before you decide, think about it!