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Making Good Decisions

You make many decisions. You decide what to wear to school, where to sit at lunch, what book to read for your next report. Many of these decisions can be made quickly and easily.

Other decisions are much more difficult and take time and thought. Use the following guidelines when you face a tough decision.

1. Define your goals.

• What are you trying to figure out or accomplish?
• What decision do you have to make?

2. List your options or choices.

• What options have already been tried?
• What other things could be done?

3. Study your options.

• Think carefully about each option.
• Write down the pluses and minuses of each one.

4. Rank the options.

• Put your options in order from best to worst, from easiest to most difficult, from quickest to longest.
• Ask for help from someone who knows about this issue.

5. Choose the best option.

• Consider all your options carefully.
• Select the best option. (The best option for you might not be the best option for someone else.)

6. Review all the steps.

• Let some time pass.
• Repeat the process to see if your thinking has changed.