2.8. Why run a red light? (useful task) Has it ever happened to you that you had all the arguments for not making a decision? Because it's scary, unpredictable, the government has already decided for you, for you, or it just turned out you have to pay the mortgage, and there’s no escape, and you need to take care of your mother, well, because you can’t do otherwise, and you must take the kids to the kindergarten. This kind of vocabulary clearly shows that it was not me who made the decision, but the circumstances forced me, and I would certainly have acted differently. Before I continue our story about decision making, please answer a simple question in the pop-up window. Imagine yourselves at the crossroads, you stopped at the traffic lights, because the red light is on. Tell me please, would you dare to run the red light? Please write an answer in the box, yes or no. Some of you will say: , of course, I wouldn’t, because I mustn’t do that, this is the traffic code, and it's very dangerous, I may be the cause of a car accident or hurt other people. Someone will say: yes, I can go, as my dad says, rules are written in blood, they are not a concrete wall, they just enable people to make decisions at some point. So, yes or no? Can I jump the red light? Regarding this story, I suggest that you do the following experiment. Let’s consider this situation through a very simple example. Among our viewers there are no such people, but let’s make up an abstract character now, or perhaps it will be someone you know. Imagine this person, with their hands on the wheel, having stopped at the traffic lights. They see the red light, and suddenly, for no particular reason, they put their foot down and drive against the lights. Among our viewers there are no such people, but here comes the question. You will see it on the screen in a special box. Why did this person ignore the red light? What is the reason? Write it in the box. What could be the reasons? Well, for example, there could be a huge vehicle, some bus or a truck, coming at the car of our fictional character, and to save their life they could mash the go pedal and jump the crossroads. Or they were late for the plane, and suddenly realized that they urgently need to speed up to get there in time. Or, for example, their wife is about to deliver a baby, and she starts crying ah-ah-ah-ah.... I can’t wait any longer.... So, the reasons may be different. Now let's discuss these strange people who, for some reason, , ran the red light. Let's try to understand what kind of people they are and how it is connected to our life, for example, when choosing the predestination, or a person to spend one’s life with, or when changing a job, or moving to another city. It looks like a red traffic light, when we say it's dangerous, but still make a decision and take all the risks. Now we will do a simple task, which you will have to write down in your notebook. You will need to fill in two boxes, left and right, the pros and the cons of the decision made. Running the red light means… and you have already listed the pros. Well, for example, to catch a plane or save yourself from the truck coming at you. It’s like - only pluses. Or maybe you just wanted to impress someone, right? Or you just stepped on it, yes, the road was empty and you took a chance. And the cons. The bruises that you may suffer, the risks that may occur, you should also write them down. For example, a fine, or a car crash, or a life risk, or other people’s injuries. You need to list this, the pros and the cons of this decision. So, let’s work now, please, press the pause and turn to your notebook, fill in the pros and the cons of the decision made. Let’s do this. So, now we have considered a particular real-life example, red and green lights, implicit benefits, or maybe explicit, as well as potential risks, bruises you may get in case you make this decision. Imagine we have scales, you know, with pluses and minuses, with a whip and a carrot awaiting you, if you make this decision. To run the red light or not to run. And so you have made a decision. Thank God, among our viewers no one has ever made a decision to jump the lights, but let’s imagine there is a person who once considered all potential scenarios and decided to drive against the red light after all. I wonder why? Now, please, transfer this experience to your personal story. I will give you an example. You have come to the crossroads, you have to make a decision. Well, for example, to marry or not to marry,. to move to another city or apartment or to stay, to change a place of work or not, well, anything. That is, any critical decision that you take and realize - God knows what is waiting for me around the corner. There are potential pluses and risks. Implicit and explicit benefits and difficulties that I most likely will face on the way, or maybe not, but I'm very much afraid that these risks can work. You may get bruised. I’m about to change my job - of course, I may get more money but what if my colleagues hate me and do not accept me, what if I cannot fulfil myself there, I will have to look for another job, I will have to attend some skill improvement courses, will I even have time for that? Aaaah…. So these minuses, yes, please. Choose a task for yourselves now, your situation. It will allow you to understand yourselves much better. Well, for example, you have been living with your partner for three years. And your partner tells you: "Marry me!" And you are like – erm… So starting from this moment, this very ‘erm’, please write down the pros and the cons. Let’s do this.