Self-determination is the ability to make decisions about your future – to choose your pathway. It’s a right and a responsibility that requires you to be accountable for your decisions and actions.
As you grow, develop and become more self-determining, you will be expected to take more responsibility for the decisions you make.
Making good decisions is a process, and the more you practice the process the better decision maker you become.
The decision making process can become habit through persistent practice.
The decision-making process includes:
1. Identifying the purpose for making a decision – what is the goal of the decision?
2. Establishing measures of success.
3. Collecting the information and/or evidence required to make the decision (access reliable and evidence-based sources of information, be objective and avoid bias).
4. Evaluating possible alternatives.
5. Selecting the best alternative – the one that achieves the goal of the decision-making process, delivers the best outcomes, and best reflects your principles (values).
6. Acting upon the decision.
7. Evaluating the decision against the measures of success.
Not all decisions are simple, and complex decisions may require you to seek advice.
Who could you seek advice from?
Some difficult decisions could also be emotionally challenging, in which case you may consider looking for support.
Who could support you when you are feeling emotionally challenged?
Managing your emotions is important when making decisions. Emotions can complicate the process and influence your decision-making, and not necessarily in a positive way.
Consistently demonstrating the ability to make good decisions builds self-efficacy. It also builds confidence with those around you to give you more freedom to make decisions – to be more self-determining. This may happen over an extended period of time as you learn, grow and develop. Once again, it is a process that you can practice and improve upon over time.
People with high levels of self-efficacy are more likely to see self-determination as an exciting opportunity to create their future.
On a scale of 1-10 – how self-determining are you?
How could you to increase your level of self-determination?