Learning & Teaching Tools For Decision Making

Decision Making Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, my name is Steve Emt. I’m a two-time Paralympic wheelchair curler, eight-time national champion, and TrueSport Athlete Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about decision making and there are three things I’d like you to know.

First, you have the power to make the right decisions. Second, other people, besides yourself, are impacted by your decisions. And third, your decisions ultimately shape your future.

For me, at the age of 25, I made a terrible decision one night to get behind the wheel of my truck after I’d been drinking. Now that decision was completely up to myself, it wasn’t my friends, it wasn’t anybody I was with, they weren’t forcing me to drink, they didn’t force me to drive home. I made that decision and it’s something that I have to live with now.

Now, I didn’t understand the impact of that decision until a couple of days later when I woke up from my coma and I saw my mother and my sisters and my brother, and all the loved ones that were waiting for those two days when I was in a coma, wondering if Steve was ever going to wake up. The impact that had on them was something that I have felt every day now for the rest of my life.

Despite the terrible decision I made at the age of 25 to drink and drive, a lot of times in life we are judged being successful on how we overcome adversities. For me personally, the last eight years have been an incredible journey traveling around the world competing for Team USA, the greatest country in the world, on the grandest of stages. And the last eight years have allowed me to define the values which have made me a successful individual.

Values provide a personal sense of what is right or wrong and they tend to influence our attitudes and behaviors while helping to shape our overall character. Learning to lean into our personal values and consider the ethics behind a decision, can help lead us to making the best decision for any circumstance we may find ourselves in.

So, the next time you’re faced with a tough decision, I encourage you to start by identifying the problem, listing the possible solutions or choices you see, identifying the potential consequences each solution or choice might have on others, practicing confidence as you lean into your values and ethics, and trying to make a decision you feel good about even reflecting back on your actions days, weeks, or years into the future.

We are all faced with making tougher decisions at some point in our lives. Owning our decision making power, considering others, and shaping the future we hope to have, are all decision making tools we can continue to sharpen through experience. So, go out, continue to make the best choices for yourself and those you care for, and I know your future will be a bright one.

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.