Doubts deceive. Actions achieve. Respond to receive.
Doubt: to hesitate;
Action: to do.
Respond: to take action due to a thought, an emotion, or an event.
Most people know what to do. Most people don’t do what they know.
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
— Matthew 7:21-23
The Bible has the capacity to be offensive because it contains verses like this one, which cut to the core and deliver harsh truth. Since we can only be insulted to the degree we believe an insult, the Bible increases in its offensiveness when our actions do not align with our words. Lack of integrity upsets us, and the Bible shines light on where we lack integrity. Once we know how we are missing the mark, however, it’s up to us to do something about it.
The part, “Away from me, you evil doers,” condemns those who say one thing and do another.
When we attempt to twist the fabric of reality by cheating or deceiving, it snaps back eventually, within decades… if not days. When we falsely proclaim more than truthfully proceed, our relationships wither… especially the one with ourselves. When we egotistically exclaim instead of consistently exercise, we gather fluff and stuff… rather than earn visceral satisfaction.
How we behave matters more than what we crave.
Successful individuals discuss what they have done, not what they might try someday.
To describe the pioneer behind the business that invented the iconic Model T automobile, Ford Motor Company engraved the following phrase in stone: “Henry learned by doing.”
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It’s not enough to say positive affirmations. One must take action in a position direction to avoid distress and to experience deep instincts of meaning.
Responsibility is what gives our lives meaning. Responsibility is an individual’s ability to respond. Responsibility is the separating factor between a life well-dreamed and a life well-lived.
“Thoughts, words, and dreams determine what we want. Actions determine what we get.”
A prime example of a role model who adopted responsibility and put works behind his words is my dad. He lost his own father to cancer at 10 years old. He had clear excuses to settle for mediocrity, and nobody would have blamed him for it. In his mind and heart, however, he had clear reasons to create a future better for his own kids. His favorite word is integrity, which means ‘to conform one’s world to his or her words’ (whereas honesty means ‘to conform one’s words to his or her world’). His purpose, and from his perspective, his greatest accomplishment was paving a path for my sister and me — a blazed trail full of high-character, work ethic, and family-oriented prosperity. His grit despite not having full parental guidance astonishes me to this day. Throughout his teenage years and early twenties, he dedicated himself to academics and strived to move up in the workforce. From a low-level consultancy position to a Global Head of Human Resources for a blue-chip publishing firm, my dad walked the walk rather than talked the talk.
One of the quietest and toughest guys I know, Nick Cerbone, runs the run as well as walks the walk. In his training, Nick logs over a few thousand miles of running per year. Last month, he completed “Badwater” in Death Valley, California — a race that consists of 135 miles through a desert highway amidst three mountain ranges, extreme heat, and 14,600 feet of ascent. Not only did Nick complete it… he won his age group. Several racers did not finish despite it being an invite-only event full of well-conditioned athletes across the board. To learn more about what drives Nick and how he consistently takes steps forward, listen to our episode together on Grateful and Full of Greatness.
What we believe is displayed through our actions. One of my favorite stories about action-oriented belief revolves around Wilma Rudolph. Born prematurely as the 20th of 22 kids, her life started with tremendous adversity. By her early teenage years, she battled polio. By her late teenage years, she won a bronze medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Just after her 20th birthday, she achieved and received three gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics. When a journalist asked her how she went from handicapped to having “one of the greatest running strides the world has ever seen,” Wilma replied, “The doctors told me I may never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.” She did not care what was said by doctors; she found out for herself by believing her mom, responding with faith, and taking consistent action.
We are what we repeatedly do.
We become who we consistently be.
We attain excellence by responding every day.
- MG