New Year, New Resolve
It blows my mind that we're already headed into a New Year! It feels like smoke should be rolling off the hour hand of my clocks because time moves entirely too fast in my world.
As we look at this New Year, I hope to challenge you to make more than a warm and fuzzy New Years resolution that doesn't make it to February. Start your New Year with a deeper resolve than you've ever had. To nail down that statement and make it stick, let's hit on exactly what I mean by "resolve". Part of Merriam Webster Dictionary's definition of this powerful seven-letter word is "to make a definite and serious decision to do something". As a noun, it's simply described to be "fixity of purpose". So in other words, if you're resolved, you're all-in!
In reality, this concept is fading in our society. For example, if my Grandpa said he was going to do something, it happened, unless an act of God somehow kept him from doing so. If he told you he'd meet you at 6:00a.m, he'd arrive @ 5:45 and be prepared to shake your hand at 6:00 with boots laced up tight, hat on, and a pair of gloves in his back pocket. His logging company had an impressive reputation. At his memorial service, when he passed away three years ago, two different local Foresters stood up at the open floor time to make comments about his commitment to quality. One of the foresters said something like, "when I drove up to one of Kurt Potratz' jobs, I pretty much knew it was just for a handshake and conversation because you could pretty much bet that everything was being done right". I'm not bragging on my Grandpa. Ok, maybe a little bit. But, rightfully so. He resolved to keep his commitments and do the job exactly as, or better than, the contract required, and he followed through with that "definite and serious decision to do something". So, back to why I said that resolve is fading in our society. The resolve my Grandpa displayed used to be pretty common because it was assumed that, that was the way things were supposed to be done. In 2014, going into 15, that's simply not the case. It pains me to say that but it's true.
Many of you know that I spent a season of my business career as Lead Sales Manager at the very successful and well respected, Rogers Toyota, in Lewiston, Idaho. At the age of only 27, as I'm sure you can imagine, a majority of the staff I led, were older than I was. Some were my dad's age or even older. And let's take something as simple as being on time for work. The older generation rarely if ever, called in sick. And they arrived not just on time, but early enough to be fully settled in, organized, shoes laced up tight, and ready to go by the morning sales meeting. They resolved to be at work, and ready to work, when they were supposed to be. Sound familiar to my Grandpa? And yes, I could say the same thing for my dad. So why is that some of the younger guys I hired stumbled in the door right at starting-time with shoes on the wrong feet and toothbrush still in their mouth, brushing away the smell of alcohol from the night before? Now, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I think it makes my point. Is it just a maturity thing? I wish, but I'm afraid it's more than that. Some of that type of behavior will be solved by growing up, but more of the problem is that it's widely accepted as a social norm. I'm appalled by how often people are late to a meeting or commitment, or simply don't show up at all. Or when I link arms with someone for a project and they do the bare minimum to get by and get out. I must say that there are also still some very reliable and impressive people mixed into our world. However, overall, our culture simply doesn't have the "fixity of purpose", the resolve, that we once had.
But here's the good news. We don't have to conform to social norms. We can do life with "fixity of purpose". We can take our commitments more seriously. We can be those that refuse mediocrity. What will your 2015 look like if you buckle up and choose all-out resolve in your marriage? How will it change your child's life if you resolve to be a more involved, more attentive, more loving parent? How much can you change your work environment if you resolve to do your job to the absolute best of your ability and choose a positive mental attitude every day? How much will it improve your relationship with yourself, if you resolve to be a better you, physically, mentally, and emotionally? And lastly, how much will it improve the overall quality of your life, if you resolve to know God more and better understand the role He plays in your life?
It's interesting that part of the definition of "resolution" is actually, "the act or process of resolving". So make your New Years resolution be simply to resolve to make 2015 the best year of your life, in every area of your life. Get better, not bitter. You are what you think. In 2015, will you sail, or sink?
