You Choose

You make me every single day. Some days you are unaware that I even exist, but I still get made. There are times when I am short and simple; at other times, I am a bit more drawn out and difficult. Sometimes there is pressure to make me in the midst of chaos; at other times, you get to make me in times of happiness and joy. I have the power to either land you in jail or give you ultimate victory. By doing nothing at all, you have made me. Really, I am made at the end of a road that forks and runs off into two directions. Who am I? I AM CHOICE!
Welcome to this book about choices. Whether you picked this book up at the bookstore because it looked interesting or someone you know gave it to you, I believe there is a lot for you to take away from here. I have been speaking at events and talking about CHOICES for several years now and it is still something that drives me everyday. Here is why: the choices you and I make today have the power to impact us greatly, either positively or negatively, in our future.
Let me give you a few examples. There was a young kid who excelled at sports, particularly team sports as a youngster. He had a special love for the game of basketball. He tried out for a university team just before high school and didn’t make the team because the coach said he was too short. When the list of the player’s came out and his name wasn’t there, this kid went home and wept. He picked himself up and went to play for the university JUNIOR team. He beat his instructor to the court early in the morning everyday. He worked and worked and worked to get better. Why? He made a CHOICE to succeed despite his previous failure. Who was this kid? Just ask anybody today, “Who is the all-time greatest basketball player?” They will most likely say, “Michael Jordan, of course!”
On the flip side, there once was another great basketball player. He was an All-American in college and many compared him to the great Michael Jordan. After he finished his college career, he was drafted as the second overall pick in the 1986 draft. He was well on his way to an incredible NBA career. So many people had high hopes for this young guy and his future; however, less than forty-eight hours after the draft, he died from a cocaine overdose. Why? Somewhere along the way, this young man made a choice. Ask almost anybody today, “Who was the popular second overall pick of the 1986 draft?” They will most likely say, “I have absolutely no idea.” For the record, his name was Len Bias.
There you have it: two great basketball players, two choices, and two different outcomes. The impacts on these lives were real, one for the better and the other for the worse. One man chose to succeed despite his failure and wound up with six NBA titles, five Most Valuable Player trophies, over a dozen All-Star games, NCAA titles, two Olympic gold medals, fame, fortune, and a name remembered by the world. The other man chose to fail despite his success and wound up dead and hardly remembered by the world with nothing to offer except a lesson on choices. You see, what you and I do today really does matter tomorrow. It is my hope and prayer that as you read the following pages, you are able to see the power of those choices and steered toward making wise choices today that will affect you in a positive way tomorrow.