How to Make Good Choices
Section 1:
Do you find yourself getting upset over every decision, big or small? Or do you make
snap decisions, but sometimes regret your choices? Being indecisive cannot only annoy
other people, it can be bad for your mental health. At the same time, acting before you
think things through can have bad consequences. As in all things, there should be a happy
medium. The key is in the process.
“If you’re struggling with a particular decision, make two lists: what do you gain, what
do you lose,” advises Dr. Milt Frank, a psychologist and social worker. “Making good
decisions is a balancing act.”
Many factors are involved in our decision making, and these factors are not always
working in our best interest. “Teens are liable to place enormous weight on what their
peers think and do and go along without thinking,” says Dr. Frank. “There is a certain
momentum created in wanting to fit in, to be part of the world.” TV, movies, and our
family environment also color our decisions. Even the weather can have an affect on our
mood and affect choices we make.
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Section 2:
“Your emotions can point you in a direction that might not always be leading you to the
best choice,” says Frank.
When we find ourselves speeding ahead with a decision that feels good but might not
necessarily be good for us, it’s important to slow down, and look at the pluses and
minuses in a rational way. Remember that our feelings virtually always present a
potential trap and that we always start with a bias that can lead us in a direction that could
be trouble. Try to look beyond the emotional. It’s important to apply self-restraint and
consider the long-term consequences.
Eighteen-year-old Cindy found out the hard way. Her boyfriend was planning to go to
the local university after high school. Although Cindy could have been accepted into a
better school out of town, she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her boyfriend. So she
applied only to the local college. Six months later, she and her boyfriend broke up.
“I wish I had just taken the action of applying to other schools, even though at the time, I
didn’t feel it was necessary. I should have listened to my head, not my heart,” she says.
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PROTEAM DREAMQUEST CURRICULUM
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