Six Steps To Your Best Leadershipنموونە

The Courage to Stop

If anyone was born with God-given, incredible leadership potential, it was Samson, yet his life completely fell apart because he lacked the courage to stop.

It starts going downhill in Judges 16:1 NIV: One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute.

Gaza is 25 miles from Samson's hometown Zora. Gaza was the Philistine headquarters where Samson was Public Enemy Number One. Also, when Samson lived—there was no Uber. Samson walked 25 miles into enemy territory to see a prostitute. 

That’s 56,250 steps. Samson didn't ruin his life all at one time. He took 56,250 steps in the wrong direction. 

It’s no different for our teams, our organizations, our careers, our health, and our families. We never set out to wreck it all at once. That typically happens one bad decision, one wrong step, one bad habit, one day at a time. 

So what do we need? The courage to stop. To say no. To do less. To resist taking one more step in the wrong direction. What do you need to stop? 

This isn’t just about stopping what’s obviously wrong. Are you a manager? Maybe there’s a mediocre meeting you can stop. If you’re pushing good resources toward average projects, you won’t see great outcomes. What projects do you need to stop? What are some important tasks that may need to stop so that you can grow as a leader? To accomplish more as a leader, you may have to do less. 

Maybe it’s not about work. Maybe you’re like Samson, and you’ve taken one, two, or maybe 2,000 steps in the wrong direction in a relationship, a habit, or with your health. The same is true—it’s not too late to have the courage to stop. 

Consider: Based on who I want to become, what do I need the courage to stop? What triggers lead to the wrong outcomes? What moods or places tend to get me in trouble? Who can help me stop?

Bookmark our guide for making and breaking habits .