Making decisions is an inherent part of life, whether trivial or momentous. From choosing what to eat for lunch to making life-changing choices like career paths, relationships, or major investments, the question arises: how do we know if we’ve made the right decision? Various philosophical traditions have explored this dilemma, each offering distinct perspectives that might help us navigate the uncertainties of decision-making.
Utilitarianism: The Right Decision is the One with the Best Consequences
One popular approach to decision-making is utilitarianism, a philosophy championed by thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. At its core, utilitarianism suggests that the right decision is the one that maximizes overall happiness and minimizes suffering for the greatest number of people.
When you make a decision, you can evaluate it by examining the outcomes it produces. Did the choice lead to happiness for you and others involved? Did it reduce harm or suffering? The “rightness” of your decision, according to utilitarians, is measured by the extent to which it brings about positive consequences.
However, the challenge with utilitarianism lies in its practical application. We often don’t have perfect knowledge of the future to predict all the consequences of our decisions. Moreover, balancing the happiness of different people—especially when their interests conflict—can be difficult. While utilitarianism gives us a pragmatic framework, it may leave us unsure when outcomes are uncertain.
Utilitarianism in Career Decisions: Focusing on Impact and Outcomes
From a utilitarian perspective, the best career choices are those that lead to the greatest positive impact for yourself and others. When evaluating a job or a project, ask yourself: Will this decision lead to positive outcomes for me, my family, or the people I work with? Perhaps you’re considering a leadership role because you know you can drive positive change for your team, or maybe you’re choosing a company whose values align with your own, knowing it could bring satisfaction and growth.
However, keep in mind that career impacts are often unpredictable. We don’t always know how a new role will unfold or what future challenges might arise. In these moments, utilitarian thinking encourages us to reflect on our intentions, focus on maximizing positive impact, and stay open to adapting our choices if they no longer serve us or others.
Deontology: The Right Decision Follows Moral Rules
In contrast to utilitarianism, deontology, most famously associated with Immanuel Kant, focuses on adherence to moral rules or duties rather than on the consequences of an action. For deontologists, a decision is right if it aligns with ethical principles, regardless of its outcomes.
From a deontological perspective, you might know you’ve made the right decision if it aligns with core ethical values such as honesty, justice, or respect for others. If a decision respects these duties, then, according to this view, it is ethically correct, even if it doesn’t lead to the happiest outcome for everyone.
This approach can be reassuring because it offers clear guidelines for decision-making, but it can also be rigid. Sometimes, strict adherence to a moral rule might lead to undesirable consequences, creating a moral dilemma. For example, always telling the truth could cause harm in certain situations.
Deontology in Career Decisions: Acting with Integrity
For deontologists, it’s not just about outcomes but about following ethical principles and values. When applied to the work journey, this approach suggests that the “right” career decisions are those that align with your sense of duty, fairness, and integrity. If you believe in treating people with respect, honesty, and transparency, then the right choice upholds these values—even if it comes at a personal cost, like turning down a role that conflicts with your ethics.
Deontological thinking can provide a strong foundation when facing ethical dilemmas at work. However, it can also be rigid; sticking to strict rules in complex situations isn’t always easy. In such moments, remember that this approach is about aligning with core values, which can act as a guiding compass when navigating morally complex work situations.
Virtue Ethics: The Right Decision Reflects Good Character
Another perspective comes from virtue ethics, rooted in the works of Aristotle. Rather than focusing on rules or outcomes, virtue ethics emphasizes the character of the decision-maker. The right decision is one that a virtuous person—someone with qualities like courage, wisdom, and compassion—would make.
If you’re striving to cultivate virtues, the “rightness” of your decision depends on whether it reflects good character. Did your decision arise from a place of integrity, courage, or kindness? According to virtue ethics, the more you practice making decisions that reflect virtues, the more confident you’ll become in knowing that you’re making the right choices.
Unlike deontology or utilitarianism, virtue ethics is less concerned with concrete guidelines and more with personal growth and moral maturity. This offers flexibility but can also be somewhat ambiguous since virtues can be interpreted differently depending on cultural and personal values.
Virtue Ethics in Career Decisions: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
In virtue ethics, inspired by Aristotle, the focus shifts from outcomes and rules to character. The idea here is that our career choices are opportunities for personal growth and self-development. According to virtue ethics, the “right” decision helps you become a better, more virtuous person.
When making a career choice, ask yourself: Does this decision reflect the qualities I want to develop? If taking on a challenging project helps you cultivate courage, perseverance, or wisdom, then it might be a good choice. Similarly, if a particular work environment fosters respect, kindness, or collaboration, it could help you grow as a person, not just as a professional.
Virtue ethics can be empowering in our work lives, as it invites us to focus on growth rather than perfection. This approach reminds us that every decision, big or small, is a chance to develop the character we aspire to have.
Existentialism: Embrace Uncertainty and Make Your Meaning
For existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Søren Kierkegaard, decision-making is an inherently uncertain and deeply personal process. Existentialism suggests that there may be no objective way to determine whether a decision is “right” in any absolute sense. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of individual freedom and responsibility in crafting one’s meaning in life.
From an existentialist viewpoint, we cannot escape the burden of freedom. We are condemned to make choices without ever knowing for certain what the outcome will be, and there is no predetermined “right” decision waiting for us to uncover. What matters is that we own our decisions and live authentically with them.
The existentialist approach asks us to accept the anxiety of choice and the ambiguity of right and wrong. What counts is not some external validation, but our ability to embrace responsibility for our actions and the consequences they bring.
Existentialism in Career Decisions: Embracing Freedom and Responsibility
Existentialism offers a unique perspective, especially suited to the uncertainties of modern careers. Existentialist thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre believe that there are no predefined “right” answers; instead, we have the freedom and responsibility to shape our lives through our choices.
In career terms, existentialism encourages us to accept that there may be no one “correct” job or perfect path. Instead, it’s about choosing with intention and owning our choices. This means understanding that changing roles, pivoting industries, or even starting fresh are all valid choices if they reflect who you are and where you want to go.
Existentialist thinking is both freeing and challenging. It asks us to let go of the search for certainty and, instead, create meaning and purpose through the decisions we make. This mindset can be incredibly empowering, especially in a world where career paths are rarely linear.
Pragmatism: The Right Decision is One That Works
Pragmatism, a philosophical tradition largely developed in the United States by thinkers like William James and John Dewey, offers a more practical approach to decision-making. According to pragmatism, a decision is “right” if it works in practice and helps solve the problem at hand.
In a pragmatic view, the right decision is the one that leads to successful outcomes or helps you achieve your goals. Pragmatists emphasize the importance of adaptability: if a decision doesn’t work out, we should adjust our course based on the feedback we receive from the world. Essentially, rightness is determined by a process of trial and error.
While pragmatism is a flexible and results-oriented philosophy, it may also leave people feeling unsettled when faced with decisions that don’t have immediate, clear feedback. In some situations, it may take years to know whether a decision was effective, and some decisions—like choosing a life partner or career—are too complex for quick, straightforward adjustments.
Pragmatism in Career Decisions: Finding What Works for You
Pragmatism offers a flexible, results-oriented approach. In the work journey, a pragmatic approach means evaluating decisions based on what works best for you and helps you achieve your goals. Pragmatism suggests that there’s no single “right” answer, only what aligns with your personal and professional objectives.
Are you choosing between two job offers? Pragmatism would encourage you to consider which role aligns more closely with your current goals, whether it’s gaining specific skills, earning a particular salary, or enjoying a work-life balance that suits you. If your situation or goals change, pragmatism suggests adapting your choices to fit your evolving needs.
In our careers, pragmatism helps us remain adaptable, focusing less on rigid goals and more on making choices that work in the moment. This approach emphasizes that it’s okay to pivot, adjust, and keep refining your path.
Conclusion: No Certainty, But Meaningful Decisions
So, how do we know if we’ve made the right decision? Ultimately, the answer depends on which philosophical framework resonates with you:
- Utilitarians would say we made the right choice if it leads to the greatest good.
- Deontologists would argue that following ethical rules ensures the correctness of our decisions.
- Virtue ethicists would suggest we’ve made the right decision if it reflects our best character traits.
- Existentialists would remind us that there may be no “right” choice, but that we must embrace the uncertainty of decision-making and live authentically.
- Pragmatists would conclude that we know our decision is right if it produces effective and workable results.
In the end, we may never achieve absolute certainty about whether we’ve made the right decision. What we can do, however, is reflect on the principles we value most, learn from the consequences of our choices, and strive to make decisions that align with our personal integrity and sense of purpose.
By understanding different philosophical approaches, we gain tools not just to analyze our choices, but also to accept the uncertainties that come with them—and perhaps find peace in knowing that ambiguity is part of the human condition.
