Claude Prompt for Decision Making Framework

This prompt helps you work through difficult personal or professional decisions with a structured thinking framework. Perfect for anyone facing major life choices, career transitions, or complex decisions with no clear right answer. Claude will guide you through analysis that surfaces what really matters to you.

Works Best With: Claude (Sonnet or Opus) | Also works with: ChatGPT, Gemini

The Prompt

Help me make a decision about [DECISION YOU’RE FACING].

Decision context:
– What I’m deciding: [THE CHOICE – e.g., job offer, career change, major purchase]
– Options I’m considering: [OPTION A], [OPTION B], [OPTION C if applicable]
– Why it matters: [WHAT’S AT STAKE]
– Timeline: [WHEN I NEED TO DECIDE]
– What I’m afraid of: [FEARS OR CONCERNS]

Guide me through a decision framework:

1. Clarify What I Really Want
   – What’s my underlying goal or need?
   – What would success look like in 1 year? 5 years?
   – Am I solving the right problem?

2. Evaluate Each Option
   – Pros and cons of each (not just surface level)
   – Second-order consequences (what happens after what happens?)
   – What I’m giving up with each choice (opportunity cost)
   – Worst case scenario for each option
   – Best case scenario for each option

3. Test My Thinking
   – What assumptions am I making?
   – What information am I missing?
   – What would I tell a friend in this situation?
   – How reversible is this decision?

4. Check My Gut
   – Which option do I feel pulled toward?
   – If someone told me I couldn’t do Option X, how would I feel?
   – What’s the fear vs excitement ratio for each?

5. Make a Recommendation
   – Based on everything we discussed, what makes sense?
   – What’s the smallest next step I can take?
   – How will I know if it was the right choice?

Ask me questions to help me think more clearly.
Challenge my assumptions gently.
Help me see blind spots.

When to Use This Prompt

• You’re facing a major decision with multiple viable options
• You’re stuck in analysis paralysis and can’t commit to a direction
• You want to make sure you’re considering all angles before deciding
• You feel pulled in different directions and need clarity on what matters most

What You’ll Get

The AI will guide you through a comprehensive decision framework that helps clarify your underlying goals and success criteria, systematically evaluates pros, cons, and consequences of each option, surfaces hidden assumptions and information gaps, checks your intuitive response alongside logical analysis, examines opportunity costs and worst/best case scenarios, challenges your thinking to reveal blind spots, and ultimately provides a recommendation with concrete next steps. The process combines analytical rigor with emotional awareness to help you make decisions aligned with what truly matters.

Why This Prompt Works

• Multi-dimensional analysis: Combining logic, emotion, consequences, and intuition creates comprehensive understanding

• Second-order thinking: Examining what happens after what happens reveals non-obvious consequences

• Assumption surfacing: Making implicit beliefs explicit prevents decisions based on faulty premises

• Gut check inclusion: Validating emotional response alongside analysis prevents purely rational decisions that feel wrong

How to Customize This Prompt

1. [DECISION YOU’RE FACING] — The choice at hand: “job offer,” “moving cities,” “business partnership”
2. [OPTION A, B, C] — List all options you’re considering, even unconventional ones
3. [WHAT’S AT STAKE] — Why this matters: “career trajectory,” “financial stability,” “family happiness”
4. [WHEN I NEED TO DECIDE] — Deadline creates urgency: “this week,” “by end of month,” “no rush”
5. [FEARS OR CONCERNS] — What you’re worried about: “making wrong choice,” “regret,” “others’ opinions”

Pro Tips

• Be thorough: This works best when you take time to thoughtfully answer each question—don’t rush

• Add constraints: Include “I’m leaning toward [option] but want to test that” if you have a preference to examine

• Values clarification: Request “help me identify which of my core values each option aligns with” for values-based decisions

• Regret minimization: Add “which choice will I regret least at age 80?” for long-term perspective