10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch

I recently became a SAHM, however, the decision was not an easy one. After months of discussing my options with DH and my boss, writing a list of pros and cons, and just worrying about whether or not I would make the right decision, I finally resigned.

Thanks to MotherTalk, I was able to read 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch (ARV $24.00, Scribner), which explains an interesting method of decision-making that would have definitely came in handy while I was figuring out whether or not to become a SAHM.

We all want to lead a life of our own choosing. But in today’s accelerated world, with its competing priorities, information overload, and confounding options, we can easily find ourselves steered by impulse, stress, or expedience. Are our decisions the right ones? Or are we being governed, time and time again, and against our best intentions, by the demands of the moment? With 10-10-10, Welch proposes a transformative solution to deal with this pressure, as she shares her own life-tested strategy to help us regain control of our choices - and reclaim our lives.

The concept of 10-10-10 starts with a question or problem, proceeds with data collection, and ends with analysis. 10-10-10 refers to the consequence of each option in your data collection in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. The “10s” are not literal. 10 minutes refers to “right now,” 10 months refers to “the foreseeable future,” 10 years refers to “far-off into the future.”

In the end, once you implement 10-10-10, you determine “which decision will best help me create a life of my own making?”

The book 10-10-10 not only details the concept of 10-10-10, but it is also filled with stories of how others have used 10-10-10 to make all sorts of decisions. Welch, herself, shares many of her own 10-10-10 decisions. It was very intriguing to read about how people used 10-10-10 to determine whether or not to accept a job offer, whether or not to stay in a relationship, and even whether to stay late at the office or go home to watch TV with kids.

The section that struck a chord with me the most is Work-Life Myth, which focused on similar conflicts that I faced before I became a SAHM. Welch acknowledges that 10-10-10 won’t make your work-life conflicts disappear, but it will make them more manageable and understandable.

We all have conflicts, dilemmas, and questions that need to be resolved and answered, and 10-10-10 may very well be the one method you need to help you make all of your decisions. At the very least, 10-10-10 will help make you more aware of what you value most so you have a better understanding of yourself and what you want out of life.

The next time I have a question or decision to make I’ll definitely try 10-10-10. It’s a new way of thinking, and it just may become a new way of life.

Shop: You can purchase 10-10-10 on Amazon.com and at other retailers online and nationwide.

Thank you to Scribner for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

Posted in: 10-10-10,books,Suzy Welch