Decision-making and goal-setting skills are needed to help you make health-enhancing choices; to choose behaviors that promote health and reduce the risk of illness and injury; Recognize your needs and understand how to make a decision or set a goal that is realistic. There are 4 types of decision making we will study.

To be empowered means to be inspired because you feel a sense of control over your behavior and decisions. In order to gain the feeling of empowerment, it is crucial that you take responsibility for your decisions. Whether or not you take responsibility for your decisions is based on your type of decision-making style.

In this style, you fail to make choices – this failure will determine what happens. People with this type of style don’t know what they want to do, and put off making difficult decisions. Therefore, they have to deal with whatever happens, and don’t gain the self-confidence they would have if they made a decision and been accountable for it.

In this style, you allow others to make your decisions. Being easily influenced by what others think, do or suggest, lacking self-confidence, and having a need to be liked by others are characteristics of these types of decision makers.

This type of decision making involves the tendency to act on a “whim”, displaying behavior characterized by little or no forethought, reflection, or consideration of the consequences. Impulsive actions typically are poorly conceived, prematurely expressed, unduly risky, or inappropriate to the situation that often result in undesirable consequences, which imperil long term goals and strategies for success.

In this style, you examine the decision to be made, identify and evaluate actions you might take, select an action, and take responsibility for the consequences of this action. Proactive decision makers often use a Responsible Decision Making Model, with acronyms such as FIND, ABCDE, etc.

F igure out the problem I dentify possible solutions N ame pros and cons for each solution D ecide on a solution and act upon it

Assess the problem to be solved Brainstorm possible solutions Determine Consequences of each possible solution Decide on a solution and act on it Evaluate the results

Peer pressure is the influence that people of a similar age or status place on others to encourage them to make certain decisions or to behave in certain ways. It can either be positive or negative because peers may pressure you to make the right or wrong decision.

Resistance skills are use when you want to say no to an action or to leave a situation. Examples: Say no in an assertive way; Give reasons for saying no; Use nonverbal behavior to match verbal behavior; Avoid being in situations in which there will be pressure to make harmful decisions; resist pressure to engage in illegal behavior; Influence others to make responsible decisions.

Positive peer pressure is influence from peers to behave in a responsible way. Negative peer pressure is influence from peers to behave in an irresponsible manner. Peers who pressure you to make wrong decisions often want support for their wrong actions. They do not consider the possible negative outcomes you may experience as a result.

Wrong decisions are ones that lead to actions that harm health, are unsafe, are illegal, show disrespect/disregard, lack good character. If you make a wrong decision…..do something about it. Don’t ignore it, or hope that it will go away. Take responsibility and admit you were wrong. Make it “right” with anyone who may have been harmed.

An effective expression of the important goal setting guidelines is that you should set SMART goals. What the SMART goal setting guidelines actually mean is that your goals should be Specific Measurable Attainable Rewarding Timely

With a specific goal you can clearly see what it is you want to achieve, and you have specific standards for that achievement. In making your goals specific it is important that you actually write them, which is crucial in all goal setting guidelines. The more specific is your goal, the more realistic is your success, and the shorter is path to it. When you work on making your goal specific, you program your subconscious mind to work for you. Then, your feelings and thoughts will lead you to your goal instead of pointing at the obstacles. To make your goals specific you also need to work out the other components of SMART goal setting guidelines below.

For a goal to be measurable you need a way to measure the progress and some specific criteria that will tell you when you can stop and the goal is achieved. Feeling the progress is very important for you to stay motivated and enjoy the process of achieving the goal.

An attainable goal is a goal for which you see a realistic path to achievement, and reasonable odds that you get there. This does not mean that the lower you aim the more likely you reach success. It is well known that goals that work best have a challenge in them. They are chosen as ambitious as possible, but still reachable. Then they will give you more motivation and sense of achievement.

A goal is rewarding when you have clear reasons why you want to reach that goal. This is one more place where it is important that the goal is really yours. Have your specific reasons and expected reward in writing. If possible, even with some visual pictures. Imagine how you are going to feel when the goal is finally reached. This will ensure that the goal is really worth achieving. Then, every time you get stuck and don't feel motivated enough, read your reasons and look at the pictures. This is a known and very powerful practical technique of how to get through difficult moments and not quit.

The fifth requirement of the SMART goal setting guidelines is that your goal should have a specific time limit. This is also very important for your subconscious mind. Besides, time is the price you pay for the reward from achieving a goal. Setting the deadline will protect you from paying higher price than the goal is worth. This is also your protection from procrastination and perfectionism.