ATD Blog
Controlling Your Career by Owning Your Choices
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Know what your two big cares are (and need to be) before the day starts.
Know what your two big cares are (and need to be) before the day starts.
Thu May 14 2026
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Does this sound like a familiar story? You’ve worked really hard for years to build your reputation , and now you’re the person everyone turns to for advice. But over time, your workload has been quietly filled with everyone else’s priorities. You’re managing and owning more, and feeling stretched and pulled away from your own goals. I’ve heard this story from hundreds of professionals, and at the center of it is the weight of the choices we make every day.
Does this sound like a familiar story? You’ve worked really hard for years to build your reputation, and now you’re the person everyone turns to for advice. But over time, your workload has been quietly filled with everyone else’s priorities. You’re managing and owning more, and feeling stretched and pulled away from your own goals. I’ve heard this story from hundreds of professionals, and at the center of it is the weight of the choices we make every day.
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Pause for a moment and think about how many decisions you’ve already made today. Research suggests the average person makes around 35,000 decisions daily. Many of them are small, but still mentally taxing. Now, ask yourself how many of these decisions were quickly made to simplify having to explain work to others, minimize conflict, help others, or take the path of least resistance. Worse, how many did you say “yes” to before having any of the details of a project, obligation, or commitment, planning to sort that out later? Rather than using this as our “choice criteria,” consider how your career can shift when you start making choices based on what you prioritize each day. Let’s call these your “two hoots.”
Pause for a moment and think about how many decisions you’ve already made today. Research suggests the average person makes around 35,000 decisions daily. Many of them are small, but still mentally taxing. Now, ask yourself how many of these decisions were quickly made to simplify having to explain work to others, minimize conflict, help others, or take the path of least resistance. Worse, how many did you say “yes” to before having any of the details of a project, obligation, or commitment, planning to sort that out later? Rather than using this as our “choice criteria,” consider how your career can shift when you start making choices based on what you prioritize each day. Let’s call these your “two hoots.”
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Knowing what your two big cares are (and need to be) before the day starts rolling gives you a guiding force for making choices that best align with you and your growth goals. Without this, you are just hoping the decision won’t cause too much harm.
Knowing what your two big cares are (and need to be) before the day starts rolling gives you a guiding force for making choices that best align with you and your growth goals. Without this, you are just hoping the decision won’t cause too much harm.
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Next, you need to align your day-to-day choices and decisions with these hoots. Your hoots reflect your values and goals . Writing them down helps you spot patterns like what you prioritize, what to avoid, and where you can make better choices. Here’s how you can incorporate your Two Hoots:
Next, you need to align your day-to-day choices and decisions with these hoots. Your hoots reflect your values and goals. Writing them down helps you spot patterns like what you prioritize, what to avoid, and where you can make better choices. Here’s how you can incorporate your Two Hoots:
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Select your two hoots. When considering the two priorities, set your own rules. Kids having a rough time–they get a hoot. Client deadline that is urgent and necessary–a hoot. Your team is transforming–pick a day and make it a hoot. Just narrow the most important down to two.
Select your two hoots. When considering the two priorities, set your own rules. Kids having a rough time–they get a hoot. Client deadline that is urgent and necessary–a hoot. Your team is transforming–pick a day and make it a hoot. Just narrow the most important down to two.
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Start your day with a hoot (not your inbox). Giving your choice some attention first starts your day by being intentional about your priorities and sticking with a choice. Consider it great practice.
Start your day with a hoot (not your inbox). Giving your choice some attention first starts your day by being intentional about your priorities and sticking with a choice. Consider it great practice.
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Reset frequently. Each time you are frustrated, pause and take two deep breaths, and own the choices you made to reach this point. It won’t necessarily change the circumstances of the work or annoyance, but it will allow you to see your decision trail and own your own part in getting to this point.
Reset frequently. Each time you are frustrated, pause and take two deep breaths, and own the choices you made to reach this point. It won’t necessarily change the circumstances of the work or annoyance, but it will allow you to see your decision trail and own your own part in getting to this point.
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Reflect and reset. After a week of two hoots, review how they influenced what you accomplished and where you spent your mental energy. Did at least one of these align with your bigger goals and ambitions? If not, can you commit to starting next week with a goal-oriented hoot? What would happen if you shifted one choice to try something new each week?
Reflect and reset. After a week of two hoots, review how they influenced what you accomplished and where you spent your mental energy. Did at least one of these align with your bigger goals and ambitions? If not, can you commit to starting next week with a goal-oriented hoot? What would happen if you shifted one choice to try something new each week?
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This priority, choice, action, and reflection sequence not only guides your days but the bigger picture and your bigger life, all at the same time. Putting this into action with our first example of the growth of your career , somehow having led to overwhelm, allows the two hoots to not just help your days but elevate your professional presence and how others work with you. When you did great work, you were focused on building your reputation and getting the opportunity to be picked for the next project. You’ve been on this track for years. Expand on this experience by asking others to tell you more about a project or request and align it with your expertise to guide them to the right resources, schedule, and allow you to figure out how it fits into your other priorities and obligation choices. Make a choice about your commitment and how informed you are before jumping in.
This priority, choice, action, and reflection sequence not only guides your days but the bigger picture and your bigger life, all at the same time. Putting this into action with our first example of the growth of your career, somehow having led to overwhelm, allows the two hoots to not just help your days but elevate your professional presence and how others work with you. When you did great work, you were focused on building your reputation and getting the opportunity to be picked for the next project. You’ve been on this track for years. Expand on this experience by asking others to tell you more about a project or request and align it with your expertise to guide them to the right resources, schedule, and allow you to figure out how it fits into your other priorities and obligation choices. Make a choice about your commitment and how informed you are before jumping in.
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A quick cheat sheet:
A quick cheat sheet:
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Own your frustrations.
Own your frustrations.
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Take back your day by making choices just for you.
Take back your day by making choices just for you.
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Commit to two hoots.
Commit to two hoots.
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Engage in conversations to pause, learn, and align your time, energy, and skills.
Engage in conversations to pause, learn, and align your time, energy, and skills.
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Celebrate the choices you make each day.
Celebrate the choices you make each day.
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Researchers at Cornell found that of the 35,000 decisions in a day, about 200 revolve around food. This is no surprise when you contemplate how hard it is to decide what’s for dinner. Not because we aren’t hungry or don’t have food preferences, but because we are all out of care about our decisions in a day by the time it’s time to eat. Without some guiding support to set priorities, align our tools and resources, and control our careers, one more decision is just too much. Rethinking your key priorities and cares in a day allows you to align everything from how you start the day, to how you close the day, and even enjoy the decision of what’s for dinner.
Researchers at Cornell found that of the 35,000 decisions in a day, about 200 revolve around food. This is no surprise when you contemplate how hard it is to decide what’s for dinner. Not because we aren’t hungry or don’t have food preferences, but because we are all out of care about our decisions in a day by the time it’s time to eat. Without some guiding support to set priorities, align our tools and resources, and control our careers, one more decision is just too much. Rethinking your key priorities and cares in a day allows you to align everything from how you start the day, to how you close the day, and even enjoy the decision of what’s for dinner.
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Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
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3 Goal-Setting Ideas
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5 Reflection Mistakes Every L&D Professional Should Avoid
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Capitalize on Learning Agility for Career Growth
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