Temporal Perspective
10-10-10 Rule: A Framework for Long-Term Decisions
Popularized by Suzy Welch, this mental model helps you zoom out from short-term emotions to see the bigger picture.
The Dilemma
What decision is weighing on your mind?
How to Apply the 10-10-10 Rule Today
Decision fatigue often stems from "temporal myopia"—the tendency to weigh immediate consequences far more heavily than future ones.
By forcing a structured analysis across three distinct time horizons, you activate the prefrontal cortex and dampen the amygdala's emotional noise, allowing for true second-order thinking.
10 Minutes
Immediate visceral reaction. Impulse vs. Intuition.
10 Months
Operational reality. How the decision settles into life.
10 Years
Legacy alignment. Does this fit your life story?
10-10-10 Rule Examples
- Career Pivot: Will quitting my job feel scary in 10 minutes? (Yes). Will I regret it in 10 months? (Maybe, if I'm still searching). Will it be the right move in 10 years? (Likely, if it leads to fulfillment).
- Difficult Conversation: Will it be awkward in 10 minutes? (Definitely). Will the tension be gone in 10 months? (Yes, the relationship will be clearer). Will it matter in 10 years? (Probably not).