The Law Defined: The law of unintended
consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of
people—and especially of government—always have effects that are
unanticipated or unintended.
Most people have never heard of the "The Law of Unintended Consequences." And, even if you were aware of it ... it's probably not something you actively think about and/or apply in your everyday life. However, the law affects you every single day!
If you are a coach, sports analyst, CEO, surgeon, business consultant, etc. you may make consider the law in your normal workday. An offensive coordinator may find his team in a 4th down situation, on the 3 yard line, with 10 seconds left in the game ... needing three (3) points to tie and four (4) to win. He's thinking that he wants to run a particular play [let's call it "Zebra 88 Amazon Blue"]. But first, he uses his last time out so that he can talk to his offense and discuss their options and what the defense may do if they run Zebra 88 Amazon Blue.
A surgeon may be operating on a gunshot victim and has to look at all the potential consequences if he removes a bullet that is in a delicate spot or ... what if he leaves it in? What will the victim's future quality of life be, will the bullet shift, will it have to be removed eventually anyway?
A CEO of a large company may be considering what will happen if his company suddenly drops a dying product line that their distributors count on for income ... or is phasing it out slowly going to suck up company resources and prevent the successful launch of a new product. What will the customers think, can they afford to lose 30-50% of their customer base?
Being aware of the law and applying it on occasion is one thing ... applying it fully to every decision that you make is another.
Think of you as an individual, you are up later than usual and your stomach starts to growl. Do you walk to the refrigerator and take a peek inside? What harm could having one scoop of ice cream at 11:00 pm do ... just this once? Would it start a habit of having a snack every night at such a late hour? If so, will you switch to healthier snacks ... an apple perhaps?
As it turns out, if you give enough proper consideration there are very few consequences that you aren't able to predict. Remember, everything matters, somethings just matter more. So every decision that you make (or choose not to make) deserves some consideration ... make sure that you give your decisions enough proper consideration!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
THE ANT: THE INSECT THAT I ADMIRE MOST!
Why would I want to write about ants? Why do I admire them so? Mainly for three reasons:
1) They are persistent -- no one will ever accuse an ant of being a quitter. They don't care what is in their way and how big the task is. They will figure out a way to get the job done. If you see one marching on the ground and you put something in their way (like your foot) ... they will climb over or walk around. If the leaf is too big to carry, they will bite off a size that they can carry. The only time they will stop is if you yank off all six of their legs. But please don't, that's cruel.
2) Their ability to delay gratification -- they have no problems working hard today and saving for a better tomorrow. You've no doubt heard the Aesop's story of the Ant and the Grasshopper. The Grasshopper decides that it wants to play instead of sowing and reaping from its efforts. When the seasons change and food is not readily available he has nothing to eat. The Ant however has stored up plenty for the hard times. The Ant sowed, tended, harvested and saved up. When bad times hit (which they always do) the Ant was ready!
3) Their FOCUS -- ants know their mission or their purpose. They understand what they were put on earth for and they do it. They don't try to reinvent their role ... they accept their role and they do it, never straying from their task.
Ants are inspirational! They're not sexy, they are not even cute. Actually, they are quite ugly. But they are inspirational. Have a great day!
1) They are persistent -- no one will ever accuse an ant of being a quitter. They don't care what is in their way and how big the task is. They will figure out a way to get the job done. If you see one marching on the ground and you put something in their way (like your foot) ... they will climb over or walk around. If the leaf is too big to carry, they will bite off a size that they can carry. The only time they will stop is if you yank off all six of their legs. But please don't, that's cruel.
2) Their ability to delay gratification -- they have no problems working hard today and saving for a better tomorrow. You've no doubt heard the Aesop's story of the Ant and the Grasshopper. The Grasshopper decides that it wants to play instead of sowing and reaping from its efforts. When the seasons change and food is not readily available he has nothing to eat. The Ant however has stored up plenty for the hard times. The Ant sowed, tended, harvested and saved up. When bad times hit (which they always do) the Ant was ready!
3) Their FOCUS -- ants know their mission or their purpose. They understand what they were put on earth for and they do it. They don't try to reinvent their role ... they accept their role and they do it, never straying from their task.
Ants are inspirational! They're not sexy, they are not even cute. Actually, they are quite ugly. But they are inspirational. Have a great day!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Victim ... no more!
It is now 2013 ... and I have but one resolution.
I WILL NO LONGER BE A VICTIM! By this, I mean that I will no longer be a VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE. In 2013, I will not set the cruise control on my ride to my destiny. I will be active in deciding the direction that I am heading and the magnitude at which I head towards my destiny.
There are many types of victims in this world. You can be a victim of a: crime; failing school system; decaying neighborhood; solar radiation, etc. Some things will just happen to you. You just can't control everything.
However, your destiny does not have to be one of those things that "just happens". If you are like me, you don't want to be sitting in a rocking chair some day when you are retired and wonder how you got there. Or for that matter, why would you want to wake up 5 years from now and not know how and why you arrived where you are at? Which would likely be at the same job, with the same pay, performing the same rote tasks.
I hope that you will join me in 2013 in choosing your direction and actively participating in arriving at where you want to be in 5, 10 or 20 years.
The first step will be acknowledging that you do have influence, if not full control, over your future and what you, as a person, become. Regardless of what you might hear on the radio, read in the paper or see on T.V. - the government, your neighbors, your school teachers, your mommy & daddy are not the ones who are in charge of you ... unless you choose to let them. So take charge of yourself, commit to yourself that you will shape your own future. If you are going to be a victim of anything ... be a victim of your own decisions. Whether you choose well or not, because it was your decision you will learn from your experience and make better decisions in the future. Just don't be a victim of indecision, lack of control, lack of desire ... don't be a victim of circumstance!
Merry New Year!
I WILL NO LONGER BE A VICTIM! By this, I mean that I will no longer be a VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE. In 2013, I will not set the cruise control on my ride to my destiny. I will be active in deciding the direction that I am heading and the magnitude at which I head towards my destiny.
There are many types of victims in this world. You can be a victim of a: crime; failing school system; decaying neighborhood; solar radiation, etc. Some things will just happen to you. You just can't control everything.
However, your destiny does not have to be one of those things that "just happens". If you are like me, you don't want to be sitting in a rocking chair some day when you are retired and wonder how you got there. Or for that matter, why would you want to wake up 5 years from now and not know how and why you arrived where you are at? Which would likely be at the same job, with the same pay, performing the same rote tasks.
I hope that you will join me in 2013 in choosing your direction and actively participating in arriving at where you want to be in 5, 10 or 20 years.
The first step will be acknowledging that you do have influence, if not full control, over your future and what you, as a person, become. Regardless of what you might hear on the radio, read in the paper or see on T.V. - the government, your neighbors, your school teachers, your mommy & daddy are not the ones who are in charge of you ... unless you choose to let them. So take charge of yourself, commit to yourself that you will shape your own future. If you are going to be a victim of anything ... be a victim of your own decisions. Whether you choose well or not, because it was your decision you will learn from your experience and make better decisions in the future. Just don't be a victim of indecision, lack of control, lack of desire ... don't be a victim of circumstance!
Merry New Year!
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