The day I walked through those prison doors was clearly one of the worst days of my life. I can’t begin to describe how low, unworthy, and valueless I felt as I took on my new identity. I went from being what some folks would describe as “somebody” to being what most would call a “nobody.” I was effectively the lowest of low in our society. Yet, looking back over my life since then, I found that this was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Not only did I learn many valuable lessons that have been life changing, but also I’ve found that sharing these lessons have been beneficial to others.

Consequence doesn’t carry with it an emotional outcome of good or bad. Consequence is just the outcome. Whether it is good or bad depends on the choice made and how the recipient feels about the consequence. We can wander in the illusion of life and think that we have eluded the consequences of our unethical choices, but those consequences are inescapable. Whether in our personal life or in business, the choices we make on a daily basis will always have a consequence.

As a professional speaker and founder of the Choices Foundation, I speak to young people about the choices they make in hopes that they can make the connection between choices and consequences – ethics and integrity – thereby avoiding the severe consequences – prison – that can follow.