GMC News
Word of the Week: Conviction
Georgia Military College Prep School
Word of the Week: Conviction
Week of April 4 – 8, 2016
Definition: an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence.
Quotable Quotes:
“Timing, degree, and conviction are the three wise men in this life.” – R. I. Fitzhenry
“Strong convictions precede great actions.” – James Freeman Clarke
“Freedom. And Justice. If you have those two, it covers everything. You must stick to those principles and have the courage of your convictions.” – Ian Smith
“We need men with moral courage to speak and write their real thoughts, and to stand by their convictions, even to the very death.” – Robert Green Ingersoll
“Conviction without experience makes for harshness.” – Flannery O’Connor
Let’s Get to the Point:
What convictions do you hold true? Where do you see it around you? Do you see it in others you deal with on a daily basis? Holding firm to one’s beliefs or opinions is a trait not everyone can uphold. Do you show conviction in all that you do? Are you the person that will not rest until the job is done? Do you show conviction in raising your children by molding them into the best person they can be? When you have strong conviction, you do what is right with no questions asked. One can see this characteristic in professional athletes, successful businessmen, and many times in everyday people.
Putting Words into Action:
Professional athletes are one group who are recognized for their strong convictions when it comes to practicing and working to be the best they can be in their chosen sports. If it takes 10,000 repetitions to master a swing or stroke or pitch, I am sure there are many who have put in 100 times that number to be a better player. Jordan Speith didn’t become a golf sensation overnight. He put in countless hours on the driving range, putting green, and the golf course to be the 2015 Masters Champion. His conviction to his sport is second to none and that is why he is so successful in the short grass.
Think About It:
Personal convictions make us work harder or longer for what we want, and we know it is the right thing to do. It is these decisions who make us who we are. Getting to work early and working until the job gets done shows that we are committed to the success of the company and our own. Personal convictions help us in all areas of our lives and it is this trait that makes us successful.
Reflection
Louisa May Alcott once said, “He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.” Our convictions are what lead us to doing great things; it is the drive needed in order to be successful. Without convictions, we lose our sense of individuality; we become a follower rather than a leader.
As Alcott says, those who believe are strong. These people are not afraid to have different opinions or beliefs. Our convictions make us stronger as individuals. We have our own opinions, our own beliefs and that is what makes us strong. We stick by what we see as being right, regardless of what society expects or what our peers may believe in instead. Due to this our convictions create a sense of individuality and uniqueness. Rather than hiding our convictions, we should embrace them; the world would rather see the true you rather than the fake one that follows the rest of the crowd.
Not only do convictions allow there to be less sameness in our society, but they also enable strong leaders. As Ralph Nader once said, “A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” Leaders all have ambitions for their subordinates to succeed; whether it’s a coach wanting his players to run within a certain time or a teacher wanting her students to get good grades or an athlete trying to beat their personal record. The convictions that leaders hold to their followers is to help them succeed to their capabilities.
As a company commander at GMC, one of my ambitions is to lead my company to the best of my abilities. In order to do that, I have my own convictions on how I should lead them. I believe that I should treat my company the way I would want to be treated, I believe that I should always set the example for them; I believe that I should try to make them not always dread going to drill. Those are the convictions I have for my company, and I try to live by them to see my company succeed.
As Walt Disney once said, “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way—implicitly and unquestionably.” These words are the ones that we should live by daily; to always stay true to our beliefs and to do so greatly because if not, we are simply just sucked in by society’s own views and are ridding the world of its uniqueness.
C/CPT Becky Vaughn is a student at Georgia Military College Prep School
