For trivial matters, it’s efficient and perhaps useful to simply follow a crowd or whatever leader we’ve chosen.
But when it matters, we need to make (and own) our own decisions.
To do that effectively, consider:
Do the readingShow your workAvoid voices with a long track record of being wrongAsk, “and then what happens?”Ask, “how would that work?”Ignore people who make a living saying stupid things to attract attentionFollow a path you’re eager and happy to take responsibility forBe prepared to change your mind when new data arrivesThink hard about who profits and why they want you to believe somethingConsider the long-term impact of short-term thinking
None of these steps are easy. This could be why we so often outsource them to someone else.