DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 1221.
TEXT
0 (H)We have to make choices every day of our lives - whether it's what to have for lunch or choosing between the red or the black jacket. Do you make up your mind quickly or are you one of life's ditherers? The difference between having a tuna or chicken sandwich isn't going to change the world, but sometimes you have to make an important decision that will have a long-term impact on your life.
1.Deciding whether to go to college or leave your job and go travelling is not easy when you've got no experience to base your decision on. After all how do you know what backpacking around Borneo will be like if you've never done it? What's more you've probably got everyone telling you what they think you should do. Their advice may sound sensible, but if your heart says no, it's not the right choice for you. Learning to make your own mind up is about becoming an adult. When we're young, our parents do a lot of our decision-making for us, but as we grow up we take responsibility for ourselves. However grabbing the power to make decisions for ourselves means taking responsibility for the consequences even when things go wrong.
2. People become indecisive because they don't want to do the wrong thing. You change your mind constantly, write endless lists of pros and cons, seek advice from everyone and end up horribly confused. The truth is that you're terrified of making a mistake - and the bigger the decision, the bigger the potential mistake. For example, if you buy a horrible pair of boots you know that all you've done is waste a week's spending money. But if you buy a flat with someone and living together turns out to be a nightmare, you could end up involved in a financial and emotional mess.
3. But the fact is that there's an element of chance in every decision, so often our gut feelings are the only thing we've got to guide us. Whatever you decide at the time is right: it's only in the light of what happens next that it can seem wrong. If yon decide to spend your money on a battered old car and three months later it falls to bits, you would think you made a terrible decision. But if it goes along for years, you'll congratulate yourself. So stop trying to predict the future and trust your instincts.
4. Decisive people command respect because they know what they think. You may think it's amusing to have a reputation for being indecisive, but eventually you'll drive others mad. Indecisive people lack personal power because they appear unreliable, out of control or even selfish. If you're always causing people trouble because you change your mind at the last minute you'll seem unreliable. Decisive people are successful because they make a decision and move on - .aid if it doesn't go the way they planned, they make the best of it
5. • Do all the research you need
If you want to move out of home, work out exactly how much it will cost before taking such a
big step.
•What's your gut feeling?
Maybe you're desperate to study drama but your parents are keen on Business Studies. Remember, you know yourself best.
• Set yourself a time limit.
If you are choosing which film to see, give yourself five minutes; if you're deciding whether to go travelling, set a deadline and stick to it.
• Be firm
Once you've made your choice, tell people about it and stick to it. Decisive people command respect because they say they're going to do something and they do it.
• Don't look back
Put all your energy into planning your choice. That way you'll forget there was ever another option. Don't waste time picturing what might have been if you'd taken a different path.
6. • Once you've made a decision, it can never be altered.
Many of us live with the notion that any big decision we make is set in concrete -that we only get one opportunity and if we get it wrong, we'll be a failure. Of course, this isn't true. If you go in one direction and hate it, change.
• There's no hurry.
The sooner you make a decision, the better. Don't wait until three days before the holidays to choose a destination, then be panicked into going somewhere you don't want.
• This is the biggest decision of your life.'
If you believe this, you will be paralysed with indecision. Most choices seem crucial when you're making them, but remember - no one decision is going to affect you for ever.
Exercise 2. Find in the text synonyms to the following words:
1. decide
2. to tremble, be confused and indecisive
1. influence (a noun)
2. influence (a verb)
3. reasonable
4. grown-up
5. the result
6. financial trouble
7. to break to pieces
8. to get (have) respect
9. another choice
10. to change
11. to get a chance
Exercise 3. Explain the meaning:
a life's ditherer; a long-term impact; backpacking; to take responsibility for the consequences; a list of pros and cons; a nightmare; gut feelings; a battered car; to move out of home; to set a deadline; to waste time; to be a failure; to be panicked into something; a destination
Exercise 4. Fill in prepositions:
to have something ___ lunch; to invite someone ___ lunch; to choose ___ the red or the black jacket; to make ___ one's mind; the difference ___ a tuna or chicken sandwich; a long-term impact ___ your life; to turn ___ to be a nightmare; to congratulate someone ___ his/her birthday; trust ___ your friends; rely ___ your friends; to stick ___ something; to be keen ___ something
Exercise 5.Make a Russian translation of the article “Decisions, Decisions
Exercise 6. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-H for each part (1-6) of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
- Any decision is better than none
- It's not up to anyone else
- Admit it when you've made the wrong choice
A.Fear of what may result
- False beliefs
- Follow your own judgments
- The best approach
- Everyone has to make decisions
Exercise 7. Questions for discussion:
1. What does the expression “taking responsibility for oneself” mean to you?
2. Why can some people become indecisive?
3. How do they usually behave?
4. Do decisive people really always command respect?
5. Is it amusing to have a reputation of an indecisive person?
6. Who to your mind are more indecisive men or women?
7. What are the main rules for the people who want to become more decisive?
Exercise 8. Translate from Russian into English and from English into Russian:
A: Я уважаю решительных людей, Мне кажется, на них можно положиться, они всегда знают, чего хотят.
В:You are right. Indecisive people lack personal power because they appear unreliable, out of control and even selfish. If you are always causing people trouble because you change your mind at the last minute, you'll seem unreliable.
A: Решительные люди успешны, потому что они принимают решение и действуют, и если что-то идет не по плану, они все равно стараются извлечь из этого максимальную выгоду.
В: As for indecisive people, some of them think that it's amusing to have a reputation for being indecisive, but eventually they will drive others mad.
Exercise 9. Translate into English:
Если ты хочешь стать более решительным человеком, запомни 8 простых правил:
1) прежде чем принять решение, продумай все до мелочей;
2) доверься своему внутреннему голосу, помни, что ты знаешь себя лучше, чем другие;
3) установи для себя временной предел и придерживайся его;
4) будь твердым, приняв решение, исполняй его;
5) не оглядывайся назад, не теряй времени, мысленно рисуя, что могло бы быть, если бы ты принял иное решение;
6) помни, что неверное решение можно изменить;
7) не тяни с решением до последней минуты, иначе совершишь ошибку;
8) никогда не думай, что решение, которое ты принимаешь, величайшее в твоей жизни. Любой выбор кажется нам решающим в момент, когда мы его совершаем, однако последствия его не будут длиться вечно.
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