With regard to good and/or bad choices, a good rule of thumb I have found to employ prior to making a choice is what I call the "Law of Short-term Gratificication VS. Long-term Benefits."
All things being equal... any action taken for short-term gratification almost always sacrifices far-greater long-term benefits, often resulting in very negative long-term consequences, and is always a very foolish choice. Contrariwise, any action taken for which the long-term benefits are considered and found to be more important than any short-term sacrifice or even discomfort is always the best choice.
Whether we are talking about actions taken strictly for short-term gratification such as casual sex, addictions of any sort, crimes, or simply poor decisions of less serious long-term consequences such as, say, procrastination, impulse buying, this Law applies equally well: when long-term gain is sacrificed for short-term gratification... you will pay a far heavier price in the long run than you will ever find yourself benefitted in the short-term and will come to regret such decisions at some point.
To the contrary re: actions for which short-term gratification is sacrificed for long-term gain... the exact opposite is true, regardless the action or its importance... such as: saving money, exercising, developing meaningful and rewarding relationships, not becoming addicted to vices, seeking an education, achieving goals in life, helping others, defending truth and standing up for what is right even when contrary to current public opinion, generally resisting urges and impulses and learning mastery over self thereby,... and on and on and on. All of these build strength, character, integrity, and honor... and will ultimately result (again, all things being equal as there are surely some exceptions to every rule where unforeseen circumstances or random chance enters in as it always does in everything) in far more beneficial results and true lasting happiness and permanent personal self-esteem.
