By Tosyn Bucknor
I stumbled upon Channel 171 by accident. Watched the first show, and suddenly, it became my new favourite show. Channel 171 on DStv is Discovery Investigation. They show a lot of shows about real life criminals, crime and more. And while watching this station diligently, I picked up a few lessons for this week’s Ten 10s. I’m not urging you to commit crime, nor am I glorifying it, I just find that some things learnt while watching these criminals, crimes or victims, provide great lessons for life and business.
1. Be diligent and follow through
Be diligent? I watched a series where one guy kept escaping from jail. He’d do this brilliant escape, then get caught because he decided to take a break to have some beer or sleep. Then I realised, you have to follow through, with everything you do.
2. Keep quiet
Most criminals get caught because they either revealed a secret to someone, or they started acting suspiciously. Not everyone needs to know your business people, especially your secrets. When in doubt, don’t speak!
3. You’ve got to know when to hold on…
And know when to fold up! One guy went to the police to report a crime. Turns out he had been one of those committing the crime. But he became a witness for the prosecution and got a lighter sentence. In that instance, the first to come clean was the one with the best deal. Sometimes things happen and you have to throw in the towel. Time it!
4. Greed
Apart from psychosis, greed is one of the top three reasons for crime. People killing to cash in on life insurances or their parent’s wills and more. Greed WILL destroy you. There is nothing wrong with ambition, but greed is a disease.
5. You are normal afterall
I remember the last argument I had with my sister. Next morning we were laughing again. So when I watch 171 and see people killing their siblings, parents, friends and colleagues, I’m like, ‘o wow’. Next time you have a bad day at work or with your spouse, just remember, everyone does. As long as you don’t do more than just stay angry!
6. Be prepared, Be careful.
A lot of the criminals who got caught got caught for the most random things. Ted Bundy, a serial killer, was arrested due to a traffic violation. One lady forgot to pre-purchase tickets for her getaway and couldn’t get on a flight when she needed to. And on and on it goes. So, think about how well you have to prepare for that next job interview, pitch or performance. You don’t want to get caught with your pants down!
7. Always call your lawyer stupid.
I watched CSI for the longest time and always thought it was because it was fiction that people would just start confessing without a lawyer present. I thought wrong! People would talk to policemen without their lawyers present all the time and of course, they either talked themselves straight to jail, or at least, out of good pleas. It makes me realise though, making things legal is always better, no matter the circumstance. Getting harassed at work? Talk to a lawyer. Signing a contract? Show a lawyer. Whatever it is, ‘legal-it’.
8. Bad company corrupts!
From ‘Couples who kill’ to random people turning bank robbers because their friends ‘made’ them do it, one thing is clear- if you keep bad company, you will do bad things. So ask yourself if your friends challenge you, or they make you wake up the next day thinking, ‘I shouldn’t have done that!’
9. Fear is just as bad as anger
Some of the criminals featured on 171 reacted due to fear. Fear of capture, fear of losing a loved one (through divorce), fear irrational or otherwise. Fear is natural but if it starts to take over your life, you need to get a grip!!!
10. Every day is a blessing
I switch the television off daily just thanking God for big mercies because there are no small ones. A woman walks into a bar to have a good time and ends up being bludgeoned to death, a man walks into a store at the wrong time and gets shot, a woman sits in