Choices Have Choices Have ConsequencesConsequences

ObjectivesObjectives::Determine the difference between immediate and Determine the difference between immediate and delayed consequences.delayed consequences.Understand the choices have consequences.Understand the choices have consequences.Evaluate the effect of your choices on yourself, Evaluate the effect of your choices on yourself, your family, and your future.your family, and your future.

Choices have consequences…Choices have consequences…

All of the things we’ve covered so far All of the things we’ve covered so far concerning Personal Responsibility have concerning Personal Responsibility have brought us to this topic.brought us to this topic. You are responsible for:You are responsible for:

Your thoughtsYour thoughts Your attitudeYour attitude Your actionsYour actions

What are consequences?What are consequences? Webster defines it as:Webster defines it as:

Something produced by a cause or Something produced by a cause or something following a set of conditions/ something following a set of conditions/ actionsactions

What kinds of things does that include?What kinds of things does that include?

Our behaviors…our actions…reflect our Our behaviors…our actions…reflect our choices, and we’ve got to get in touch with choices, and we’ve got to get in touch with the consequences of our choices the consequences of our choices BEFORE we make decisions.BEFORE we make decisions.

Define “immediate consequences”.Define “immediate consequences”.

Why don’t you stick things into an Why don’t you stick things into an electrical outlet anymore?electrical outlet anymore?

What about touching an iron or stove and What about touching an iron or stove and just laying your hand on it? Don’t you just laying your hand on it? Don’t you check it first or at least consider that it check it first or at least consider that it might be hot?might be hot?

These are referred to as These are referred to as immediate immediate consequencesconsequences, because they are , because they are experiences almost instantly after the experiences almost instantly after the action.action.

When you do something wrong, doesn’t it When you do something wrong, doesn’t it bother your conscience a little?bother your conscience a little?

Sure it does! And that’s an immediate Sure it does! And that’s an immediate consequence, too!consequence, too!

Page 64, please.Page 64, please.

With your elbow partner, discuss and With your elbow partner, discuss and answer the questions on page 64 in your answer the questions on page 64 in your Student Manual.Student Manual.

Be prepared to share with the class.Be prepared to share with the class.

5 minutes…GO!5 minutes…GO!

Delayed consequences…Delayed consequences…

One of the problems associated with learning by this method One of the problems associated with learning by this method onlyonly (learning from delayed consequences), is that very often the (learning from delayed consequences), is that very often the consequences we experience occur consequences we experience occur a very long time after the a very long time after the eventevent!!

In many instances, we don’t experience the consequences of our In many instances, we don’t experience the consequences of our actions until many years later.actions until many years later.

Consider the consequences of over-eating or a fat-laden diet. Or Consider the consequences of over-eating or a fat-laden diet. Or what about the effect on a person’s respiratory system of smoking what about the effect on a person’s respiratory system of smoking three packs of cigarettes a day for twenty-five years?three packs of cigarettes a day for twenty-five years?

What would happen to an automobile if we never checked or What would happen to an automobile if we never checked or change the oil? If I’m sexually permissive, how long will it be change the oil? If I’m sexually permissive, how long will it be before someone gets pregnant or before I contract a disease? before someone gets pregnant or before I contract a disease? How many lives will be impacted by my choices?How many lives will be impacted by my choices?

If I’m robbing convenience stores or cheating on my taxes, how If I’m robbing convenience stores or cheating on my taxes, how long before I get caught, and what will happen when I do?long before I get caught, and what will happen when I do?

What would my family do?What would my family do?

Consider ALL Consider ALL alternatives.alternatives.

Why is it important for a leader to Why is it important for a leader to consider the consequences of his consider the consequences of his actions?actions?

Why is it important for a leader to Why is it important for a leader to consider all of his alternatives?consider all of his alternatives?

Leadership counts the cost!Leadership counts the cost!

Far too often, people never stop to consider Far too often, people never stop to consider the consequences of their actions.the consequences of their actions.

They never ask themselves, “Now, what will They never ask themselves, “Now, what will happen to me if I don’t study for tests or do happen to me if I don’t study for tests or do assignments?”assignments?”

Leadership counts the costLeadership counts the cost! Leaders look far ! Leaders look far down the road to see the long-term down the road to see the long-term consequences of their decisions.consequences of their decisions.

They never act rashly or without thinking They never act rashly or without thinking through the possible alternatives of their through the possible alternatives of their choices.choices.

Our choices have Our choices have consequences!consequences!

……not just some of our choices…not just some of our choices… ALLALL of them will produce a result of of them will produce a result of

some kind.some kind. Whether those results are good ones or Whether those results are good ones or

bad ones will depend solely on the bad ones will depend solely on the quality of our choices.quality of our choices.

Leadership looks at choices Leadership looks at choices and thinks about the and thinks about the consequences.consequences.

Very often, the choices that leaders make bring Very often, the choices that leaders make bring about either great good or great harm.about either great good or great harm.

Consider the choice made by our forefathers Consider the choice made by our forefathers when they boldly declared independence from when they boldly declared independence from England? England?

Or the decision made by the South to abandon Or the decision made by the South to abandon the Union?the Union?

Or look at the decision to drop the atomic bomb Or look at the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Or what about the decision to retaliate against Or what about the decision to retaliate against Iraq for invading Kuwait?Iraq for invading Kuwait?

Someone has to make those choices. Someone has to make those choices. And I want you to be the ones making And I want you to be the ones making them in the future!them in the future!

Will you choose to be ready?Will you choose to be ready?