Word #61. Decisions.

The previous 60 words have led exactly to this one word today: decisions.

As a quick review, the first 25 words focused on getting right with your soul. The second group of 25 words focused on getting right with your body. Once your spirit and body are in sync, the pathway to learning is cleared. This clearing has been the focus of the last 10 words.

And now, the proactive intention begins: taking responsibility for your own decisions.

Because there are hard choices to be made in life – from spiritual to financial – we grounded the Acton learning design (ie, curriculum) on the skill of making decisions. Our learning philosophy goes like this:

• Clear thinking leads to good decisions.
• Good decisions lead to the right habits.
• The right habits forge character.
• Character determines destiny.

Working within a tightly knit community, our learners as young as 6 years old, begin adding decision-making tools to their inner toolkits.

For example, they learn when it’s best to draw a decision-tree versus create a matrix for “urgent and important;” or to use the process of elimination versus weigh the pros and cons. They wrestle with mistakes and consequences and come back to reflect in order to try again.

They then try again. Over and over they practice these skills so by the time they launch into the world on their own, they are intentional and confident decision-makers with the habits and character necessary to find their callings.

None of this would work if not for the Acton parents who are courageous enough to allow their children to make mistakes and experience consequences.

A great place to begin helping your children hone decision-making skills at home is simply to make lots of decisions aloud with them. And be sure to share the decisions that turned out to be mistakes and how you recovered.

Your own stories are the most powerful of all.