ZigOn Making Good Choices
One foolish or careless mistake can give your life and/or career a huge setback or derail it completely. It could even cost you your health and/or your life.
As I write these words, I am thinking about all the publicity "spring break" has received over the past few weeks, in both print media and television news. Stories of young men and women who drink an excessive amount of alcohol and end up in an accident or in sexual activity leading to many of the sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies or worse. One fling, which some kids describe as a "rite of passage" or just "part of college life," can produce disastrous results.
The choices we make throughout our lives are important. You may have lived an exemplary life; been a good, productive, morally sound person with a bright future. Then an ill-advised decision: getting into a car with a stranger; drinking and driving; making unwise character choices; and it's all over.
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I remember one case of a man on a career path in a large company who attended a party where much alcohol was served and consumed. He had begun a rapid rise to the top, but under the influence of the environment and too much alcohol, playfully patted the boss' wife inappropriately. His career there ended at that moment.
Message: Be careful about the choices you make, because the choices you make in life go with you wherever you are. Legendary coach John Wooden stated he wanted to know how his players practiced, but he was even more concerned about what they did between today's practice and tomorrow's practice. He recognized that what his players did away from practice had a huge impact on how they performed in practice and, consequently, in the games that counted.
Fact: What you do off the job, regardless of what the job is, plays a major role in how far you will go on the job. A good night's sleep will prepare you for a good performance at home and on the job. A drunken orgy will change the formula drastically. It could lead to long-term negative results. Even consistently staying up late will affect your performance on the job and sometimes impact relationships as a result of lack of rest, bringing on impatience, even anger. Think about it. Every choice has an end result.
As you make your choices in life, I encourage you to evaluate what will happen "if I follow through on this choice." That choice can be good and enhance every facet of your life, or it can be a bad one and inhibit or destroy your relationships, your career, and your life. Think about it. Ponder your choices. Make good ones, and I'll see you at the top!
