Last time you learned to set deadlines that force decisions. But what happens after you decide? Most people forget the details within days, making it impossible to improve.

Today we'll create decision capsules - a simple 5-line format that captures everything important about your choices.

Engagement Message

Ready to never lose track of your decisions again?

A decision capsule is like a snapshot of your choice. It captures the essential information in exactly 5 lines, making it easy to review and learn from later.

Think of it as your decision's DNA - compact but containing everything needed to understand what happened.

Engagement Message

What's one detail you often forget after making a decision?

Here are the 5 lines every decision capsule needs:

Context: What situation triggered this decision?
Choice: What did you decide?
Why: Your main reason for this choice.
Next Step: What happens immediately after.
Owner: Who's responsible for execution.

Engagement Message

Which line seems most important to you?

Let's see this in action. Here's a capsule for choosing a new project management tool:

Context: Team missing deadlines due to poor task visibility
Choice: Switch to Asana from email tracking
Why: Better project visibility and automated reminders
Next Step: Import current projects by Friday
Owner: Sarah (project manager)

Engagement Message

Does this example feel clear to you?

The magic happens when you force yourself to complete all 5 lines. If you can't fill one out, you probably need to think more about that aspect.

Can't identify the owner? Maybe the decision isn't actionable yet. Struggling with "why"? You might be choosing randomly.

Engagement Message

What does a missing line tell you about your decision?

Keep each line to one sentence maximum. This forces you to identify the core elements without getting lost in details.

The goal is clarity, not completeness. You're creating a summary, not a novel.

Engagement Message

Can you recall a time you explained something better with fewer words?

Type

Fill in The Blanks

Markdown With Blanks

Now draft your own decision capsule using the format below. Fill in the blanks with details from your recent choice:

Context: [[blank:Your situation]]
Choice: [[blank:Your decision]]
Why: [[blank:Your reason]]
Next Step: [[blank:Your next action]]
Owner: [[blank:Who's responsible]]

Suggested Answers

• Your situation
• Your decision
• Your reason
• Your next action
• Who's responsible