What it is

A basic decision-making tool where you list the positives and negatives of an option side by side. It helps you see both sides clearly, but without weighting, it's only a surface-level view.

When to use it

  • When you need to quickly organize thoughts on a decision.
  • As a starting point before using deeper frameworks.
  • When clarity—not precision—is your first goal.

How to use it

  1. Draw two columns: Pros on one side, Cons on the other.
  2. List freely: Get everything out of your head without editing.
  3. Weigh impact: Don't stop at counting—decide which items matter most.
  4. Go deeper: Use the list to guide next steps like consequences or alignment with principles.
PROS CONS
  • Clear structure for decision making
  • Forces balanced thinking
  • Easy to communicate reasoning
  • Helps identify blind spots
  • Can oversimplify complex decisions
  • May not capture nuance
  • Equal weight to all points
  • Risk of confirmation bias

Example

Decision: Take a new job in another city

Pros:

  • Higher salary
  • New experiences
  • Career growth

Cons:

  • Away from family
  • Higher cost of living
  • Risk of not liking the new city

Insight

Even with more pros, one heavy con (family impact) can outweigh everything else.

Key takeaway

Don't just count pros and cons—weigh their impact. One heavy factor can outweigh many lighter ones.

All tools