Over the last week or so, I have posted on Leadership and ManagementConsultation … and Resourcefulness. And this morning I shared some thoughts on Certitude. Certitude is a virtue; a strength of character. With it, we discern and decide on that for which we are truly certain. I am certain on my deep belief in the vital importance of Character going forward.

Reflect on the card of Certitude. Think about that for which you are indeed certain. There s much in life around which we cannot be so certain. But, if we do our own homework with Courage and Honesty, we can get clear on our own practice of Certitude. And such Certitude is foundational to Courage and Confidence… grown from Clarity. and Commitment.

I have no real idea on the details of the path forward for the world or even my corner of it. Yes, in Newfoundland and Labrador, we have a new budget… laying out the supposed playing field for the year. Yes, we have articles and projections on trends going forward. Still, while these are useful to determine our “lay of the land”, they are not certainties. When conducting a traditional SWOT Analysis… opportunities and threats are very rarely certainties. They are our best and well grounded guestimates. On the other hand, strengths and weaknesses should be certainties. We should do our homework on what we know that we bring to the table. This can be our rudder and ballast in times of change and challenge.

I know that I bring 40+ years of experience, education and Enthusiasm in the field of leadership training and development. I know that I am still learning, thank God. I know that I bring 14 years experience with Dale Carnegie Training in Newfoundland and Labrador, Vancouver, Seattle and Dallas. I know that I bring 19 years experience with The Virtues Project (15 as a Master Facilitator). I know that I am a certified Facilitator with Personality Dimensions, since 2006. I know that I have 20,000+ speaking hours and experience speaking to audiences of 5 to 5,000. I know that I have coached 1500+ clients in business management and leadership. That which we put on our resume must needs be of a certainty.

That said, we can and should also consider our Temperament and Character, identifying and claiming what I call our hard wired virtues, the ones we practice automatically and by nature.

For me, I cannot “turn off” Love, Honor, Idealism, Unity nor Zeal. There are many others, and all, that I look to practice but these 5 are fundamental to my being and doing. I know also how deeply I believe in Humanity as our highest strength and inhumanity as our lowest standard. I know that I unapologetically and deeply believe in the future of Humanity.

There are causes and commitments for which I know that I believe and stand both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. I have done my homework and continue to do so. It does not end. Reflection is ongoing and necessary. As a student of What Color is Your Parachute? since 1982, I have found that body of work exceedingly useful in discerning and deciding on my best path. I wholeheartedly and genuinely recommend the book and the work. And, I am a life long believer in finding purpose and service (there is much in this link indeed)… and in the exploration, manifestation and practice of Character.

All of this is to say that I humbly and strongly recommend exploring Certitude.

What knowledge, skills, abilities, talents and capacities do you know that you bring to the world?

What strengths of Character do you have “ON” at all times?

What causes and beliefs and ideals do you hold to deeply?

Write these down. Inventory them. Prioritize the. Claim them. Own them. Also, figure on where these are most needed in Service. Make them your banner and battle cry, if you will. Meaning matters, and these give meaning. Certitude builds your banner and battle cry of Service.

Peace, passion and prosperity…

Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.

“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. ― Abraham Lincoln