Your words…

Your business does not run on steel and concrete if you’re in construction. If you run a real estate business, it doesn’t run on rent you collect or properties sold. Insurance? Does not run on premiums paid. Hospital? Does not run on patients cared for any more than a Church runs on nickels and noses.

Your business runs on words.

You, in fact, run on words. Kit Carson ran on two words – Done so. When he had a thought about something he wanted to accomplish whether it was tracking an animal or learning one of 18 Indian languages he spoke fluently, he went from thought to action in an instant. His grammar was poor. His practice was genius. His two words enabled him to live a life of finishing what he started. He ran well. Execute and move were Kits favorite words.

Most humans run on two words – So done.

Instead of just do it, most adopt the mindset of just do enough – enough to get by, you know. They settle. Satisfy the bride, boss, brother, or business, becomes the aim. These people slowly lose hope and heat. They run down and stop well before the finish line. Their favorite word – Excuses.

So, leader, what are you running on? What words run around in your head when you wake up Monday morning? How ‘bout Friday night? What words run wild when revenue is rocking or when you’ve hit rock bottom? What words run around your team, business, and community? Think about it. Study your word count. In your head first. Out your mouth next. What words are you using to run your team? What words do you allow to run your locker room and what words do you recognize and reward? Is bullshit, cover your ass, get in line, the kinda words used to describe your culture? Is it truth in anger? Or, is it truth in Love, leader?

Yesterday we heard a word from James, brother of Jesus. He reminded us that none of us is strong enough to tame our tongue. He’s worth listening to and learning from. You know the two words his contemporaries used in describing the culture in his 20 square feet? The Just. Yes, friend, his nickname (if you will) was James The Just. God, help me run on your words. God, help me meet people where they are and greet them with truth in Love. God, help me listen to James The Just. God, help me finish well like Kit. God, help me bury excuses and instead execute and move. God, help me live hard and love harder.

What words you running on? What words you running from? What nickname will we remember you by? Slow down. Reflect. Write. Rinse and repeat. Run well. Be just. Be a finisher. Be a leader who runs the team on the right words the right way. Your business runs on words. You monitor all kinds of data analytics and the like. You monitoring your words?

Live hard. Love harder…