Making decisions is perhaps the most important skill an entrepreneur can possess. To move from a vague idea to a structured project, Frank Kern uses a specific "Decision-Making Worksheet" to ensure every move aligns with long-term success.

Phase 1: The Big Picture

Before looking at the decision itself, you must ground yourself in your ultimate destination.

• Clarify Your 20-Year Goal: Define exactly where you want to be two decades from now. For Frank, this is building a sustainable $100M company with a minimum 35% profit margin.

• Define Your Purpose: Identify the "why" behind your business. Frank's purpose is to have a measurably positive impact on the global economy by changing how consumers view marketers.

• Identify the Decision at Hand: State clearly what you are considering. (Example: Launching a flagship program to cold media via a webinar funnel).

• The "Alignment" Gut Check: Ask yourself: Will this move me significantly closer to my 20-year goal? If the answer is no, stop there.

Phase 2: Success Criteria & Deadlines

If the decision aligns with your goals, you must define what "winning" looks like.

• Four Indicators of Success: List four specific results that prove the decision was right. Frank's examples include attracting qualified prospects and achieving a 3x ROI on ad spend.

• Set a Hard Deadline: Determine by when these success criteria must be met to turn the decision into a tracked project.

Phase 3: The Benefit Analysis

Analyze the impact of the decision across two different timelines:

• Short-Term Benefits: Immediate wins, such as gathering data, building goodwill, or turning a quick profit.

• Long-Term Benefits: Lasting impacts, such as business scalability, permanent list growth, and transforming the lives of clients.

Phase 4: Risk Assessment (The "Reality Check")

It is easy to get caught up in the "happy world" of benefits; this phase demands total honesty about potential downsides.

• Calculate the Cost: What is the actual financial investment required for the test?

• Identify What Can Go Wrong: List every fear, from suffering core business distraction to losing the entire test budget or "looking dumb."

• The Risk vs. Reward Comparison: Compare your "long-term benefits" against "what can go wrong." Ask: Is the potential long-term gain worth the risk of these downsides?

Final Step: Immediate Action

If you decide the risk is worth it, commit immediately by identifying the three next steps you can take to get the project started today.