Chris Sarova was on the verge of dying.  The last thing he remembered was the floor rushing up to meet him, a searing pain in his head, then nothing.

He was in a coma for four days.  When he regained consciousness he couldn’t speak.  A tube was connected to his windpipe, through an incision in his throat, and a machine did his breathing for him.  There were other tubes too, tubes that penetrated his body through his skin and nose.

Chris was very uncomfortable.  He was also sore.  With every move he experienced sharp pains shooting through his body.  So, being unable to speak, and unwilling to move, Chris lay there immobile with plenty of time to think.  And think he did!

For the first time in his life Chris questioned his lifestyle.  From his early teens he had been an undisciplined, rebellious boy.  Since the age of fourteen (when his parents got divorced) he reacted to anybody who tried to help him or steer him in the right direction.  Chris neglected his schoolwork, fell into the wrong company, started stealing, became highly promiscuous, was often drunk, smoked heavily and ended up a drug addict.  What nearly ended his life was a drug overdose after years of body abuse.

Now, in hospital, the only thing Chris could do was think.  He was a young man, only twenty years of age, yet his life had nearly come to an end.  It was only through the persistent acts of dedicated doctors that he was still alive, against enormous odds.  And what was to happen to him when he was discharged from hospital?

With lots of time to reflect on his condition, Chris came to two conclusions.  First, he did not want to continue living the way he did.  Second, he had only himself to blame.  He brought upon himself all the miseries of his existence through years of exercising bad choices.

Finally, Chris made a decision.  He wanted a different life.  One that was meaningful, one that made him feel worthwhile and that would count for something.  He wanted a second chance and resolved that his stay in hospital would be the symbolic line that separated the old from the new; it would be the Rubicon that he would cross so that the Chris that came out of hospital would be very different from the Chris that entered it.

As soon as Chris made his new resolve he also vowed to never again steal, smoke, drink alcohol and take drugs.  He wanted a new life, a real life.

Chris gradually improved.  Day by day he grew stronger.  And each day he renewed his pledge to start again.  In the days that followed, Chris formulated a plan.  He thought about his attributes and what he would enjoy doing.

Chris loved variety, being out and about, interacting with people.  He had the gift of the gab.  After all he had used his persuasiveness to con people and get women into bed with him, what job, then, would be suitable?

Chris thought of several possibilities such as marketing and sales.  But the job that had the greatest appeal was that of a tour guide.  Chris liked the idea of taking tourists to different places, showing them around, giving them information and hearing their stories.  He could also be informal and relaxed at work.

Chris implemented his game plan soon after leaving hospital.  First of all he got a licence to transport passengers and drive coaches.  Then he applied to a touring company for a job.

Slowly Chris progressed from coach driver to tour guide.  He engaged in studies, and went out of his way to go the extra mile for his customers.

Three years after his discharge from hospital, Chris decided to start his own company.  He purchased a mini-bus on credit and obtained his first customers from referrals.

Within six years Chris had a thriving business.  From one bus, driven by himself, he now has four large coaches and ten mini-busses.  He employs 32 people.  His turnover went up by a whopping 1322% between the second and the sixth year of operation.

When Chris told me of this achievement my response was simply, “Wow!” His reply was, “But that’s not my greatest achievement.”  I was puzzled and waited for him to continue.

“My greatest achievement is turning my life around,” he said.  “By taking responsibility and deciding to make something of my life I gave up my highly destructive habits.  Since that fateful day when I overdosed, I have not smoked a single cigarette, drunk any alcohol or taken any drugs.  I’m a different person, and that is the thing I am most proud of.” Chris is, indeed, a different person.

The story of Chris Sarova is the story of one person who decided to exercise a gift that each one of us is given:  the gift of choice over our own attributes and over the direction of our lives.

Chris chose to take charge of his life by directing it to something worthwhile.  He would have remained as he was, but he didn’t.  He could have blamed his parents, or society or his conditions, or apparent lack of opportunity, but he didn’t.

Life does not happen randomly.  At the end of the day we usually get what we deserve.  And what we deserve is due, in large measure, to the choices we make.

Our everyday choices will ultimately determine whether we are happy or unhappy, financially independent or poor, fit or unfit, skilled or unskilled.

There is a law of life called the law of cause and effect.  It’s also sometimes referred to the law of sowing and reaping because, after all is said and done, we reap what we sow.  Do you think Chris turned his life around by accident, or that your medical doctor was fortunate to have graduated from medical school, or that a great golfer was lucky to win a tournament, or that a wonderful marriage just happened?  No, these conditions occurred because people chose to apply themselves.

Chris very specifically chose to give up his destructive lifestyle and worked hard every day, at being the person he wanted to be.  Your medical doctor studied diligently in order to get through medical school.  The golfer dedicated himself to be the very best that he could be, and practiced with dedication and commitment.  And a happy marriage never occurs by acidosis.  It takes time, effort and consideration to build satisfying relationships.

Someone once said that all of us will experience one of two pains in life: the pain of regret or the pain of self-discipline.

So what is it that you want from life.  Do  you want to be a victim of your circumstances.  Do you want to be a helpless body drifting down the river of life eventually ending up in deep seas?  Or do you want to fly to a destination of your choice.

Choose now to take responsibility for yourself as Chris did.  Then choose to do something about it and discipline yourself to do what it takes.  In doing so you will develop good, constructive habits to reap desired fruits.

Remember that life never closes the door to opportunities.  You always have a second, and even third, fourth and fifth chance.  It’s never to late to make a life.  But to make your life worthwhile you have to make constructive choices.

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Dr Ray Laferla, CEO of Integrated Human Dynamics, publishes articles as the one you have just read, on a monthly basis, free of charge.

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