Fascinating descriptions of the steps involved in making different types of decisions, from every day choices of which breakfast cereal to purchase, to life-and-death decisions made by airline pilots in emergency situations. I was left with a determination to study my own decision-making process--to think about how I think-- as "such introspection is the best predictor of good judgement." The author presents details of scientific studies, alongside commentaries of people who have faced difficult decisions, making it easier for me to understand the application of the science.

One of the surprises for me is the evidence that when making complex decisions "it's probably a mistake to consciously reflect on all the options, as this inundates the prefrontal cortex with too much data." Instead the advice is to use our "conscious mind to acquire all the information you need for making a decision. But don't try to analyze the information with your conscious mind. Instead, go on holiday while your unconscious mind digests it. Whatever your intuition tells you is almost certainly going to be the best choice."

For someone who has tried to remove emotion from decision-making, this book has encouraged me to trust those emotions more. And to pay more attention to the process I use when choosing.