When in Doubt, Four Questions. | The Measure We Use to Make Decisions

When people have to decide something, they hesitate. Which choice is right, and what should come first? Work and daily life are a constant series of such moments.

At Value Village, we have four questions we return to whenever we feel unsure. No matter how big the decision, we always come back to these four.

Today, let us share the “yardstick” we use for decision-making.

How do you make decisions?

In truth, there are not many things we decide after long meetings and lengthy discussions. For most decisions, when we return to a few simple questions, the direction becomes clear naturally. What matters is not complicated logic, but having a steady standard. It is about measuring things by the same yardstick every time, not by the mood of the day or the opinion of the loudest person in the room. For us, that yardstick is these four questions.

What exactly are the four questions?

First: “Does it lead to people’s happiness?” Second: “Does it protect health?” Third: “Does it build trust?” And fourth: “Is it something we can be proud of before the next generation?” These are the four. None of them are difficult words. Yet by asking these four in order, the outline of a decision becomes beautifully clear. We place these four before sales or efficiency. That is our order of priorities.

What do you do if not everything is a “yes”?

If all four are “yes,” we can move forward with confidence. But if even one answer is “no,” we pause. Even if something seems likely to sell very well, if it would wear down trust, we do not move forward. We must not reverse this order for the sake of sales. We must not skip these questions for the sake of speed. Pausing is not slowness. It is an important breath taken to protect what matters over the long term.

Do titles or positions affect decisions?

Before these four questions, job titles have no meaning. A “no” from someone who has just joined carries the same weight as a “yes” from the president. That is because what we are protecting is not a superior’s reputation, but our customers’ lives. Experience and titles are, of course, important. But before the question of whether something truly serves people, everyone is equal. We believe that equality is what protects good judgment.

What is the final question you return to?

When we truly cannot decide, we ask ourselves one more question: “Will our colleagues 100 years from now be proud of this decision?” Looking not at today’s sales or immediate circumstances, but from a much more distant point in time, is this a choice we can stand behind? This question gives us a long-term view. We think not about short-term gains and losses, but about what will remain for the future. That is the final anchor of our decision-making.

The four questions and a gaze toward 100 years from now may sound like a company matter, but they may in fact be just as useful in the everyday choices each of us makes.

When you feel unsure about something, may these four questions gently encourage you forward. We, too, will continue to hold the same questions in our hearts as a partner who stays close to you.