Are You Evaluating Your Decisions Clearly—or Just Rewriting History?

When was the last time you paused to truly examine a decision—not by its result, but by your reasoning?

Shane Parrish, in his book Clear Thinking, calls out one of the most deceptive traps in decision-making: we confuse what we know now with what we knew then. 

After the fact, we forget the limits of our knowledge at the time and let the outcome tell the story. But hindsight is not wisdom. It’s often just revision.

We read current outcomes into past intentions. We judge a decision as good or bad based on how things turned out, rather than how clearly we were thinking when we made it.

The ego loves this shortcut—it protects our image by smoothing over our missteps or inflating our insight. But that’s not growth. That’s illusion.

The real question isn’t: Did it work?

The real question is: Did I make the best decision I could with the information I had, free from ego, emotion, and pressure?

Parrish outlines four forces that block clear thinking—ego, emotion, social pressure, and inertia. When any of these are driving the wheel, we’re no longer deciding—we’re reacting. And when we react, we stop leading.

Leadership and personal excellence require more than outcome-based thinking. They require reflection. Not to dwell on mistakes, but to get sharper with each decision.

A Better Way Forward

• Make your thinking visible. Write down what you knew, what you believed, and why you chose a certain path—before results cloud your clarity.
  

• Separate outcomes from intentions. A positive result doesn’t always mean the process was sound. A setback doesn’t always mean the decision was poor.
  

• Check your ego at the door. Ask, “Was I operating from clarity or from fear, pride, or pressure?”
  

Over time, this level of reflection strengthens your judgment. You begin to lead from principle, not reaction. You develop what Parrish calls mental clarity—the ability to act with intention even when the stakes are high.

Because your leadership isn’t defined by what happens. It’s defined by how you think when it counts.

Practical Application for Leaders

• Start a Decision Clarity Log: For key decisions, jot down what you knew, what you assumed, and why you chose your path.
  

• After a result unfolds, review the original thinking—not just the outcome.
  

• Train your team or family to reflect in the same way—building a culture of thoughtful action, not impulsive reaction.
  

Because leadership isn’t just about making the right call

It’s about having the courage to examine how you made it.

Clear thinking isn’t flashy. It’s not loud. But it’s what separates those who drift from those who lead.

So the next time you face a decision, don’t just ask: Did it work?

Ask: Was I clear? Was I honest? Was I present?

Outcomes come and go. But clarity—that’s what builds a leader worth following.