About eight years ago, I stumbled across a decision-making framework.
I found it while reading something by Suzy Welch.
I actually decided to use it by using it to make the decision to use it or not.
(Yeah, sort of an Inception thing.)
That worked, so I've kept using it.
It was called 10-10-10.
At first, I remember thinking:
“This is either brilliant… or it belongs on a coffee mug.”
It's a single filter.
It's helped me make decisions faster.
It's helped me make decisions that wind up being better.
And it's helped me pray more strategically as I make them.
Why Pastoral Decisions Feel So Heavy
Pastors don’t just make decisions.
You carry them.
Every week you’re deciding:
- who gets your time
- what gets your energy
- which plate you’re about to add to an already spinning collection
And then January shows up.
New year.
New plans.
New commitments you’re pretty sure you can keep this time.
Here’s the problem...
Most bad decisions in ministry aren’t sinful. They’re just made too fast, under pressure, by tired people.
That combination rarely produces optimal outcomes.
Speed Isn’t the Enemy. Panic Is.
Let’s clear something up.
Fast decisions aren’t wrong.
Pressured ones are.
Regardless of how much you attach prayer to decision-making...
There is a regular parade of decisions that flow through demanding a bang of our inner gavel.
And most of them have a deadline.
Listen...
Optimized decision-making isn’t about slowing everything down.
It’s about not deciding while emotionally compromised.
Yet, we don't always get that luxurious choice in a ministry context.
In other words:
Don’t decide when you’re hungry.
Don’t decide when you’re exhausted.
And definitely don’t decide when someone is standing in front of you waiting for an answer.
That’s where 10-10-10 earns its keep.
The 10-10-10 Decision Framework
In the midst of an impactful decision, pause and ask three questions.
Not ten questions.
Not a pro/con spreadsheet.
Three.
- How will I feel about this decision ten MINUTES from now?
This is the emotional window.
Our default desire is...
Relief.
Awkwardness avoidance.
That nice feeling of getting someone off your back.
Therein lies the trap.
Bad decisions can feel great in the first ten minutes.
But so does crack.
And late-night pizza.
Ok, next: ask #2 about the same decision...
- How will I feel about it ten DAYS from now?
Now we’re in the consequence window.
Your calendar notices.
Your body notices.
Your family notices.
This is where reality drops in with some smelling salts.
- How will I feel about it ten YEARS from now?
This is the legacy window.
Your calling.
Your God-ordained direction.
Whether this decision shaped your life... or stole margin from important parts of it.
Here’s the filter...
Good decisions survive all three.
Why This Framework Fits Pastors So Well
Ministry trains you to say yes quickly.
Needs are urgent.
People are emotional.
Silence feels unspiritual.
(Jesus didn't fall for any of it.)
We experience those pressures.
So we decide for:
- peace in the moment
- approval in the room
- relief right now
But here’s the correction.
10-10-10 asks a better question:
Will this still feel faithful when I’m tired, busy, and nobody is clapping?
That’s the question that changes everything.
Because here’s the truth most of us learn the hard way.
The right decision often feels wrong in the first ten minutes.
And wonderfully right ten years later.
The cool thing is... this filter often speeds up decision-making while it improves the quality thereof.
This is optimization at its finest.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
A new opportunity shows up.
Ten minutes later:
“Glad that conversation is over.”
Ten days later:
“Why am I so tired all the time?”
Ten years later:
“That decision reshaped my entire schedule… and not in a good way.”
That’s not rare.
So, 10-10-10 that script, bro.
This framework works for:
- speaking invitations
- overloaded calendars
- health neglect disguised as sacrifice
- saying yes when God, your wife, and your spine are all voting no
Remember this: Ten-minute emotions lie. Ten-year outcomes don’t.
Better Decisions Make Life Faster (Ironically)
Using 10-10-10 didn’t slow me down.
It sped me up.
Fewer reversals.
Less cleanup.
Far fewer “what was I thinking?” moments.
This matters.
Because good decisions remove future friction.
That’s what optimization actually looks like.
A Better Way to Start a New Year
You don’t need another resolution.
(You preach against them anyway.)
You need a better filter.
This year, instead of promising yourself more discipline, decide to decide better.
Run your commitments through 10-10-10.
Your calendar will thank you.
Your body will thank you.
Your future self will thank you.
And you’ll sleep better at 3:17 a.m.
Yeah... your next 3:17 a.m.
And the one ten years of nights from now.
More Resources To Help You Optimize
💊 My (Scott's) full supplement regimen