In your life, you will face some decisions that are so serious that you will want to consult others. These are decisions that will affect your life and your health. In the following questions, you are asked to apply the Great Decisions model to a decision you have made with the help of others.
1). Give thought to the problem: In what decision did you need to involve a team, your parents, a teacher, or your friends? Who was the best person to work with on this problem?
A: I needed to involve my family in my decision of whether to transfer to another school or to remain in my previous school. The greatest people to work with this problem, however, was my mother and my eldest sister.
2). Review your choices: Many times the choices are not only pro and con. Were there multiple ways to solve this problem? If so, what were they?
A: Yes, there were three ways to solve this problem. The solutions were to either attend the alterative school I am currently enrolled in now, remain in my previous school, or to attend a public school.
3). Evaluate the consequences of each choice: Were any of these choices unpopular? If so, which ones? Would these choices have affected others? If so, how?
A: To attend the alternative school in which I am currently enrolled was considered an unpopular choice, especially to those who attend a public school. However, this choice would only affect my family, particularly my mother, as they would need to provide transportation and meet with the teacher on a weekly basis.
4). Assess and choose the best choice: What were the things that entered into your decision? Did you need support in order to carry out this decision?
A: There were many negative thoughts in which entered my mind before making this decision. Therefore, I certainly needed the support of my family in order to carry it out.
5). Think it over afterward: How did you feel about this decision after you carried it out? If you had to face this decision again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
A: I felt as though I had made a wonderful decision after I carried it out. And if I was faced with this decision again, I would choose the same path as I am walking now.
Great!
To apply the Great Decisions model to a decision, you first need to identify a problem or decision that requires the involvement of others. In this case, the decision was whether to transfer to another school or remain in the previous school. The people involved in this decision were the family members, particularly the mother and eldest sister. They were considered the best people to work with on this problem.
Next, you should review the choices available. In this case, there were three options: attending the alternative school, remaining in the previous school, or attending a public school. It's important to consider all the possible solutions or choices before making a decision.
After reviewing the choices, it is important to evaluate the consequences of each choice. In this case, attending the alternative school might have been considered unpopular, especially for those attending a public school. However, this choice would mainly affect the family, particularly the mother, who would need to provide transportation and meet with the teacher on a weekly basis. Considering the potential consequences helps in assessing the choices more objectively.
Once the consequences have been evaluated, it is time to assess and choose the best option. The decision-maker should consider various factors that enter into the decision, such as personal preferences, goals, and the opinions of the involved parties. In this case, negative thoughts weighed heavily, so the support of the family was crucial in carrying out the decision.
Finally, it is necessary to reflect on the decision after it has been carried out. In this case, the decision-maker felt that they had made a good decision and would choose the same path if faced with the decision again. Reflecting on the decision and its outcomes helps in learning from the experience and identifying any changes that could be made if the decision were to be faced again.
Overall, applying the Great Decisions model involves thoughtful consideration, evaluation of choices, assessing consequences, making the best choice based on various factors, and reflecting on the decision afterward.