bcg blog

Bright Lines

I peak out from under the covers, attempting to check the time on my alarm clock while allowing the least amount of light possible into my one sliver of an eye. 4:43 AM. My alarm is set for 4:45 AM. I resist the bait. Rather than squeezing my eyes back shut for a poultry two minutes, I hop out of bed, turn off my alarm, and dive into my morning routine. It always begins with a workout.

I workout every morning with the exception of Sundays. So, if for example, I didn’t get home late the night before, I workout. If I’m tired from a really taxing day of physical labor and my hands and feet hurt, I workout. If I'm not feeling the greatest, I workout. 

There is no negotiation with myself on whether or not I will workout or not. The decision has been made and it won’t be made again.

I agree to a rare night out with a college teammate to attend a pay per view watch party for the one and only, Mike Tyson. I mean, who can pass on a Mike Tyson fight! No less than twenty people offer me a drink. Beer, whiskey, rum, scotch, wine, champagne - you name it and they had it and wanted me to enjoy it with them. I decline.

I don’t drink, never have. It’s not a noble stand or anything, just a decision I made for a variety of reasons a long time ago. Over time, the choice has only gotten more clear. When someone asks me if I want a beer, I never ask what kind they have. It’s irrelevant to the choice I’ve already made. The environment and circumstances don’t factor in either because I’ve decided I don’t drink. 

It’s a bright line. 

I wish I could say all aspects of my life are as bright as the two examples, but they are not. However, I have realized that every time I make an effort to raise my personal standards all I’m really doing is  brightening the lines.

Why Should We Care?
Blurry lines are exhausting. Every single time you approach it, you have to make another decision. Rather than making a decision and moving on, you are forced to decide over and over and over. And every one of them costs you energy you can’t get back.
A bright line decision is made once and it’s made way before the moment ever shows up. The moment has nothing left to negotiate with. It doesn't matter what mood you're in, who's buying, or how good the excuse sounds. The decision isn't up for a vote anymore. It's been settled.
This is a huge deal when applied to ourselves, but the impact of it as a leader multiplies ten fold. Blurry lines make us unpredictable, and unpredictable leaders can’t build trust. Without consistency, our people are left to wonder which version of us will show up. 
Bright lines make us predictable. Our people don't have to guess where we stand, because we already told them. Pressure doesn’t change it. The audience doesn’t change it. The potential for a promotion doesn’t change it. We just need the courage to paint them. 
Bright is bold when it comes to our standards.
REAL TALK - Action Steps
Bright lines don't draw themselves. Here's where to start.

• Decide Before 
  
  • Sit down when it's calm and name the two or three things that are non-negotiable for you. Get the decision made while you have a clear head.
    

• Eliminate Blurry
  
  • Bright lines are clear. You either do it or you don't, every time, no exceptions. The second you start qualifying it, you've handed the decision back to the moment.
    

• Embrace the Challenge
  
  • The world will test every line you draw. That's not a sign your line is wrong, it's just proof the line is real. Stop being surprised by the pressure and start expecting it. 
    

Start drawing a few bright lines. Not a hundred, pick one. Decide it now. A stressful moment will come looking for a negotiation. Don't give it one.

Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!

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