Three Options Spread

What is the Three Options spread

The Three Options spread extends the idea of the two path layout to three alternatives. A first card names the heart of the choice, and each option then gets two cards: one for its nature and one for its outcome.

It is useful when the decision is not a simple either-or: three job offers, three cities, three directions of study.

The 7 positions explained

1. 1

   The heart of the choice

   What the decision is really about.

2. 2

   Option A

   What the first path is and what it asks of you.

3. 3

   Outcome of A

   Where the first path is likely to lead.

4. 4

   Option B

   What the second path is and what it asks of you.

5. 5

   Outcome of B

   Where the second path is likely to lead.

6. 6

   Option C

   What the third path is and what it asks of you.

7. 7

   Outcome of C

   Where the third path is likely to lead.

How to read it

1. Read each path as a pair

   An option card and its outcome card tell one story: what you do and what you get.

2. Compare across the three

   Look for the path whose outcome is steadiest, and the one with the most hidden cost.

3. Return to the first card

   After comparing, go back to the heart of the choice and check which path answers it best.

Tips

Write the three options as short, concrete phrases before you begin. If one of them is only there for completeness, drop it and use the Two Options spread, which gives a clearer picture.