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CHOICE THEORY

WHAT IS CHOICE THEORY?

Choice Theory, developed by Dr. William Glasser, explains human behaviour based on internal motivation. Dr. Glasser held the belief that all behaviour is chosen as we continually attempt to meet one or more of the five basic needs. When one understands this and all the other components of Choice Theory, (basic needs, quality world, perceived world, comparing place, and total behaviour), one can build and maintain better relationships, lead a happier and more satisfying life. Choice Theory helps one lead self, lead others, and lead change as well as performance. It can be applied to Lead Management, Reality Therapy, and Quality Schools

THE TEN AXIOMS OF CHOICE THEORY

  1. The only person whose behaviour we can control is our own.

  2. All we can give another person is information.

  3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.

  4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life.

  5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can only satisfy our basic need right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.

  6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.

  7. All we do is behave.

  8. All behaviour is Total Behaviour and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling, and physiology.

  9. All Total Behaviour is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think. 

  10. All Total Behaviour is designated by the verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.

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