Conviction. This is one of the most important attributes I look for in gauging a
person’s character. It's something I honed when I ran for political office several years ago. Let’s face it,
there are plenty of “great guys” that still have trouble finding their backbone
when the sledding gets a little tough. A fantastic notion is immediately
compromised in the absence of conviction. In the presence of conviction, even a
fledgling idea can become fantastic. Conviction is powerful – it is
transformative. Unfortunately, it can be as equally fragile and vulnerable. Not
only do you have to know what you believe, you have to actually believe it. You
have to believe it when the sun is shining and you have to believe it in the
fiercest windstorm.
Having conviction doesn’t mean you necessarily have
to be stubborn, inflexible, or uncompromising either. More accurately, it’s
about being unwavering in principle. I often admire people I disagree with because I appreciate that they have the courage of their conviction. In the end, words and actions have to be
consistent.
