1. Making Career Decisions
Chapter 4
Making Career Decisions
Lesson 4.1
Making Decisions

2. Why decision making is an important skill
Discover
Why decision making is an important skill
Steps you can follow to make decisions
continued

3. How to deal with things that stand in the way of decisions
Discover
How to deal with things that stand in the way of decisions
How to make better decisions

4. Why It’s Important
Decisions are an important part of life. The stronger your decision-making skills are, the wiser your decisions will be.

5. Key Terms
decision
obstacle
outcome
adaptability
attitude

6. Making Decisions You make hundreds of decisions every day.
Each decision is a choice you make about what action to take.

7. Taking Charge of Your Future
Decision making is an important life skill.
When you make a decision, you take charge of your future.

8. The Seven Steps of Effective Decision Making
The hardest part about making an important decision may be figuring out where to start.
Making a decision is easier if you break the problem into smaller steps.

9. Graphic Organizer Seven Steps to a Decision
7. Plan How to Reach Your Goal
6. Make a Decision
5. Evaluate Your Options
4. Gather Information
3. Identify Your Options
2. Analyze Your Resources
1. Define Needs or Wants

10. Overcoming Problems
Even when you carefully follow the seven basic steps of decision making, you can run into obstacles.
An obstacle is something that stands in your way.

11. Never Give In to Obstacles
You’ll run into obstacles as you face decisions.
The important thing is not to give up. Look for a way around the obstacles.

12. Making Better Decisions
As you go through life, you’ll get better and better at making decisions.
If you learn something from each decision, you’ll make a better choice next time.

13. Keep Practicing the Seven Steps
The more decisions you make using the seven basic steps, the more skilled you’ll become.
With practice, you’ll feel more comfortable using the decision-making process.

14. Pay Attention to Everyday Decisions
Think carefully about everyday decisions, even routine decisions.
This will help you keep on track to your career goal.

15. Recognize and Plan for Obstacles
Obstacles cause less damage if you recognize them early.
If an obstacle presents itself, figure out how to work around it and strategize a backup plan.

16. Accept the Outcome of Each Decision
The outcome of your decision is its result or effect.
A new decision may have a different outcome.

17. Be Willing to Change Your Decision
If circumstances change, be flexible and adaptable.
Adaptability is being able or willing to change in order to suit different conditions.

18. Check Your Attitude Your attitude is your basic outlook on life.
If you have a positive attitude, you’re already on your way to success.

19. Forget About Luck You don’t need to depend on luck for your decision.
Take control of your life and what happens to you.

20. Attitude Counts
Self-Esteem
No one knows your skills better than you do. If you don’t speak up and tell people what you’re good at, they may never find out.

21. Critical Thinking Review
Is it important to consider other people’s opinions when making a career decision?
Other people can help you evaluate your options. However, it is important to put yourself first when making career decisions, because, after all, it’s your career.
Critical Thinking Q A
continued

22. Critical Thinking Review
How might your attitude make it difficult to learn from a decision?
A negative attitude might prevent you from accepting and evaluating an outcome of a decision that is different from what you wanted or hoped. This would prevent you from learning from the decision.
Critical Thinking Q A

23. Making Career Decisions
End of Chapter 4
Making Career Decisions
Lesson 4.1
Making Decisions