"This is not what I signed up for!"

Today I attended my new employee orientation for the State of Florida.  We discussed a lot about our work program, Vocational Rehabilitation.  Our eligibility program offers individuals with physical and mental disabilities resources and services with a goal to obtain employment.

Upon catching up on a few things over the past few weeks, I have realized that so many people do not actually know what they are signing up for.  When signing releases, applying for services, entering into organization, etc., you are then accountable to that entity for the responsibilities outline in the very "terms and conditions" we so often overlook.

John Hancock has one of the most recognizable signatures on file.  I would like to believe that he stood behind everything he signed.  I would like to believe that he accepted the consequences, positive or negative, of that document.  I would like to think that he would honor himself, his values, his goals, and his character in the form of his signature on material he believed in.

Is the anger and disappointment at some inevitable negative consequence stemming from your frustration about your lack of attention to the fine print, or are we to believe that you signed up for something that you inherently do not agree with or do not want to work towards?

We all have a choice in life, and more often than not, it is informed choice.  Heck, even when you are read your rights at the time of arrest you are presented with a choice, your behavior from that point further.

It is unsettling to me that so many people will enter into relationships with businesses and/or organizations and then neither abide by nor agree with the policies and standards they consented to.

I guess the point of all of this is to protect yourself, you character, and your reputation by making sure that you understand what you are signing up for.  I would agree that things are not often as they seem, but did you ever ask yourself how you could have missed it?  What role do you play in how you life is impacted by your choice to sign you name?  How can you influence your circumstance through your future choices?