Decision making and ‘the door test’

In life, faced with an infinite amount of possibilities and incomplete information we tend to rely on our own personal metrics for making decisions, whether it be on investments, our career and even love. Of course, sometimes our judgment is driven by subconscious biases, even when we think we are consciously making decisions.

For example, in the context of Valentine’s Day tomorrow, how do you know if the person you are seeing is the “one”? Or at least how do you know if they could be the one? There is a great scene in the movie “A Bronx Tale” where mafia boss Sonny shares his wisdom on love and how to tell whether your lady could be the one – “give them the door test”.  (See video link)

“Sonny: Alright, listen to me. You pull up right where she lives, right? Before you get outta the car, you lock both doors. Then, get outta the car, you walk over to her. You bring her over to the car. Dig out the key, put it in the lock and open the door for her. Then you let her get in. Then you close the door. Then you walk around the back of the car and look through the rear window. If she doesn’t reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in: dump her.

Calogero ‘C’ Anello: Just like that?

Sonny: Listen to me, kid. If she doesn’t reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in, that means she’s a selfish broad and all you’re seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast.”

To most people it might seem like a ridiculous test. If they don’t open the door for you, drop them.  Of course it is not about the actual test, it is about having conviction behind key values to help you with your decision making. In Sonny’s mind, he has devised the perfect way to evaluate whether another person is selfish or not and hence whether they are worth more of his time.

There is no perfect metric when it comes to investments or love, but there are some things you can’t compromise on. Of course, only you can decide on what you hold important.

Make sure they open your door!