“What were they thinking?” we often ask ourselves as we read top news stories about public officials, celebrities, sports figures or highly visible leaders who thought no one would discover their bad behavior. At some point, they had a choice to make, and they made the wrong choice. If only they had done one thing differently: Think.

Think before you speak. Think before you act. Think before you behave badly. Think before you make advances. Think before you leave that voicemail. Think before you forward that email. Think before you take that photo. Think before you post that photo on social media. Thought guides our decision-making process. Our moral compass, our core values, assist us in making those decisions.

Clearly, these people knew what they were doing at the time. They just didn’t think they would get caught. Ego got in the way and they thought they could brush it aside. A cover-up or denial does greater damage and often ends careers and tarnishes reputations forever.

With respect to French philosopher René Descartes, let’s create an addendum to his well-known phrase. By adding the word “responsible,” we are all fully accountable for our actions. I think therefore I am responsible. What a concept.