3 pros and cons for the pros and cons list

March 1, 2023

Regardless whether in our professional or private lives, we make up to 20,000 decisions every day. In the decision-making process, we differentiate between decisions made “by gut instinct”, which are automatically and intuitively decided, and those made “logically”, which are cognitively, consciously decided. The vast majority of our decisions are made automatically and intuitively, and this seems to also work well for most of our decisions. Yet there are also a great deal of decisions, both in our professional and private lives, which require us to make cognitive, conscious decisions. These are especially the decisions which have a significant influence on our professional and private lives. A tried-and-true method for making such decisions is the list of pros and cons. This is perhaps the simplest of all decision-making techniques, and it entails listing all arguments in favor of and against a decision, which are then weighed against one another to aid in the decision-making process. But does that really work?

3 pros for the pros and cons list

1. A simple way to structure thoughts:

We tend to draw up a list of pros and cons when we need help with making difficult, complex decisions. It’s especially important to initially gain an overview of the situation at hand. By putting together a pros and cons list, we activate the part of our brains responsible for rational thinking, which in turn enables us to approach making a decision in a more structured manner.

2. An opportunity to think critically and experiment with thoughts:

A pros and cons list truly forces us to contemplate a decision. While we are actively considering different factors and playing out various scenarios we are developing a full picture of the situation. Our critical thinking is being engaged and therefore we can avoid making one-dimensional decisions.

3. Quality or quantity?

Although a basic pros and cons list is quite simple, they can be created with more complexity. Instead of solely focusing on quantity, for example, the number of pros versus cons featured in the list, each argument can also be weighed individually based on its content or quality.

3 cons for the pros and cons list

1. The danger of lapsing into all-or-nothing thinking:

Its simplicity is, on one hand, what makes the pros and cons list so attractive. On the other hand, this can also mean that the nuances of an argument are not sufficiently represented: a pro can also be a con and vice-versa.

2. Forgetting intuition:

It’s our gut instinct that makes 90% of our decisions. We often feel a sense of intuition when we have a decision to make, without being able to pinpoint why or where this feeling comes from. This makes it hard to transfer what our gut instinct says to a pros and cons list. Yet, even when it’s outweighed by counterarguments, it’s often our intuition which is right. In this case, the pros and cons list is apt to introduce additional confusion rather than lead to a sound decision.

3. Missing information or information overkill:

It’s essential for a pros and cons list to be created at the right time. If we are missing critical information and details, we may be unable to include important arguments, thus leaving us with an incomplete list. At the same time, we run the risk of collecting our arguments so minutely that, in the end, it’s impossible to discern and filter out where the main points are among the many arguments we’ve put on the list.

A pros and cons list is a good option for getting us initially started with the decision-making process when we’re faced with a difficult decision to make. Creating such a list will not be able to aid us in every single situation, but in many respects, a pros and cons list can be useful during the decision-making process. Perhaps it ultimately comes down to this: good decisions are based on a conscious comparison of available information, as well as on our intuition.