Assess Your Convictions
A few days ago, I served as a judge in a business pitch competition. In all likelihood, you have seen these types of competitions before on television. One by one, the various contestants step on stage to present their business idea to the judges in hopes of receiving funding or support. After the pitch, the judges ask questions and challenge assumptions.
I have done these events in the past, but this one was different. Every entrepreneur that stepped on the stage started their idea not in a classroom or a boardroom – they started their business ideas in a prison cell.
All five participants had left prison in recent years, and they were sharing a business idea that they had been incubating for quite some time. It was a memorable and inspiring evening as they shared their lives and dreams.
As I listened to them, the idea of conviction kept coming to mind. I am not talking about conviction like being convicted of a crime. I am talking about conviction as in how much conviction they had to accomplish their goals.
They were excited about the business idea that they were going to bring to the world. It got me thinking. What are my convictions? How much conviction do I have about certain things I’m looking to achieve? What about you and your convictions?
This week’s tool is designed to help you to explore how much conviction you have to tackle the priorities that you have on your plate. Perhaps you remain as committed today as the moment you picked the priorities, or maybe your desire to make it happen has waned.
Photo by Khashayar Kouchpeydeh on Unsplash
Patrick Leddin, PhD is a speaker, global leadership consultant, and The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Five-Week Leadership Challenge. Patrick is an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University with a thriving leadership blog and podcast, and 25-years of leadership experience. He offers an unparalleled mix of academic rigor and real-world experience.