As a young person, you might be feeling frustrated because everyone else makes decisions for you, and you can’t wait to be old enough to make your own choices. Decision making can be both exciting, frightening and challenging. In this blog post, we’ll explore some essential tips to help you make decisions confidently and wisely.
1. Who Are You?
Understanding your values, interests, strengths, and weaknesses is a great starting point. Identify things that make you happy? What are you good at? What can you do easily? Knowing yourself will guide you in making decisions that align with who you are.
2. Where Are You Going?
Knowing where you’d like to be can reveal an obvious next step which will move you closer to your goal. Having a goal means that lots of options are ruled out, simply because they will not take you to the place you want to be. If the word goal is off-putting because it seems to be locked in, try thinking of it as a destination, a please you’d like to be.
3. What do you know?
Collect as much information as you can about your options. Whether it’s choosing a University, a career path, or even what to do on the weekend, having knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions. If the information starts to become overwhelming, share it with someone else who can help you filter the useful from the irrelevant information. Knowing what to discard is an important as what to keep when it comes to decision making.
4. Who Can Help?
Don’t hesitate to ask for advice from trusted adults, parents, teachers, or friends. They might offer valuable insights and perspectives that you haven’t considered.
5. What’s the Rush?
Not all decisions need to be made in a rush. Give yourself time to think and reflect. Don’t be afraid to take your time if you’re unsure.
6. What Did You Learn?
Every decision you make is a chance to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Sometimes you will make a mistake. That’s OK if you use your experiences to make better choices in the future.
In conclusion, decision making is a skill you’ll continue to refine throughout your life. By knowing yourself, setting goals, gathering information, seeking advice, and embracing the learning process, you can make decisions that align with your values. So, practice making decisions that are smaller and safe so that you gain experience in making choices for yourself.
