I get motion sick pretty easily. In fact, all it normally takes is for me to be put in the backseat of a car. So, when my family went on a cruise I was a little nervous. However, I was assured that the ship was so big that it would take a lot of rough seas to cause significant movement. Well, our first night had a lot of crosswinds. Everywhere I tried to walk, it felt like the ground was moving. I kept feeling myself getting pushed right and left, several times almost losing my footing. I finally got dizzy and had to go lay down for the rest of the night.
This is what it’s like for men who lack conviction— strong convictions about their identity (who they are), what they believe, and morality. They lack solid footing, constantly getting pushed around by the cultural waves of moral relativism and a low sense of self. In his book Dangerous Good, author Kenny Luck talks about the need for men to be a force in the world for good. He believes God has created each of us with purpose. In order to know your purpose, you have to have conviction. Do you have it? From Kenny Luck’s book, here are five signs you are a man of conviction.
1. You defuse conflict.
When you know and embrace who you are it leads to less conflict. You have less stress and feel less insecure. This eliminates a lot of conflicts before they even happen because you feel less emotionally driven to defend yourself when challenged.
2. You defeat temptation.
We are tempted by many things, lacking the integrity to get ahead, lying to make ourselves look better, lust, pride; the list goes on. Sometimes we are tempted multiples times in a minute. When temptation hits, the thing that helps us overcome is conviction.
3. You direct others.
When you are a person with conviction, other people will seek you out for advice. Kelly Luck shares in Dangerous Good, “When you ask a person with weak convictions, ‘What should I do?’ they will tell you to do what you feel is best. Not only is this unhelpful, but it is dangerous because our feelings change.” People with conviction more often have grounded and wise advice.
4. You deliver help.
Our natural state is a state of selfishness. What percentage do you think of others compared to how often you think of yourself? People with conviction will look to think about and serve others. People with weak conviction will only do it when it is convenient.
5. You discern right from wrong.
Finally, being a man of conviction means you seriously spend time considering whether what you are doing is right or wrong. People with weak convictions tend to wander into moral ambiguity and end up in a place they never thought they would be. They end up doing things they never thought they would do. Being a man of conviction means you determine where the lines are and then don’t cross them.
What do you think men today should be more convicted about? {eoa}
BJ Foster is the director of Content Creation for All Pro Dad and a married father of two.
This article originally appeared at allprodad.com.
Joseph Mattera 
BJ Foster 
Shelby Bowen 
