duty

How to Do Your Duty

Claude Hamilton 13 Comments

If you’ve been following my blog, then you’ve spent plenty of time reading about duty. I’ve written a lot about the theory and history of duty, and my last post explained why it’s critical for you to find your life’s purpose and do your duty. But none of that will do you any good unless you know how to do your duty. Today’s post will point you in the right direction.

Step One: Build strength

When it comes to doing your duty, you can’t be hesitant. You need to act with confidence and precision. But before you can do that, you need to know what your purpose is. Otherwise, you’ll feel indecisive and weak—exactly what you don’t want when you’re trying to make an impact in the world. So spend time getting to know yourself better. Once you understand what you were put on this earth to do, it will be easier to focus on the task at hand. Abraham Lincoln once said: “Let us have the faith that might makes right; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” 

Step Two: Build your confidence

Once you’ve found your purpose, you need to learn as much as you can about it. Whether it’s a business idea or a desire to build a family, start by talking to other likeminded people, reading books, listening to audios, and taking courses. Immerse yourself in it. Because the more you understand your goal and everything about it, the more confidence you’ll have when it’s time to do your duty. And that’s important—because confidence drives action.

Seems simple, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. But it doesn’t mean it will be easy. As I wrote in Toughen Up, “We have to strive for it, work for it, and settle for nothing less than real excellence. Never let convenience or any other distractions get in the way. That’s toughness. And it’s our duty.”

Step Three: Build your plan

Imagine that you’re building a new home. But your contractor tells you that since they have the materials and the skills, they don’t need a blueprint. They’ll just design your house as they go. You probably wouldn’t have a lot of confidence in them, would you? After all, building a house without a plan just doesn’t make sense.

It’s the same when it comes to doing your duty. You may have confidence and strength, but without a plan, it’s easy to get confused and make poor choices. Plus, putting a plan on paper makes your life’s purpose real. It will bring you clarity and it will make it easier to gather people who will work with you to achieve your duty.

Why not sit down and write your plan today?

Your Duty Matters

Claude Hamilton 5 Comments

 

On my blog, I write a lot about the concept of duty. I’ve written about why we should do it, I’ve looked at how it’s changed throughout history, and I’ve discussed convenience and excellence—the two major internal cultures that every individual has to choose between. But today, I want to tell you what duty means to me.

When I toughen up, I’m doing my duty. When I choose excellence over convenience, I’m doing my duty. When I’m doing my very best, living my life’s purpose, and achieving my potential, I’m doing my duty. Why? Because we’re all connected, and we all have our jobs to do. Each one of us has something very specific that no one else in the world can do in quite the same way. If we don’t do that task to the best of our ability, if we decide to make excuses when the going gets tough, we let everyone down. As author and pastor Mark Batterson once said, “Uniqueness isn’t a virtue, it’s a responsibility.”

When I was still working as a military diver, it was my buddies’ responsibility to look out for me. And I did the same for them. In the military, the way you do your duty could mean the difference between life and death. Thankfully, they did their duty, and as a result, I’m writing this blog post today.

The story of Paul Kariya’s winning goal in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals is one of my favourite examples of a man who’s done his duty. According to the Calgary Herald, he took a major blow to the head at the hands of Scott Stevens. He was taken off to the dressing room for first aid, and everyone assumed he was out for the game. To the crowd’s astonishment, he came back out onto the ice and scored the winning goal. He did his duty at a time when everyone would have completely understood if he’d decided to bow out.

Now think about your life’s purpose. Are you working towards it? Have you chosen a culture of excellence? Because if you aren’t, the world is missing out on whatever it is you do best. It may not be a matter of life and death (although it’s possible that it is), but it will still make a difference to someone. As I wrote in Toughen Up, “We’re all worse off because some people choose convenience over excellence in their lives. And we’re all better off because some people have chosen to do their best, to live their life purpose to its fullest.” American president Theodore Roosevelt put it like this: “The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, safety first instead of duty first, and love of soft living…”

It’s probably not your life’s duty to score the winning goal in the Stanley Cup finals. But maybe it is. Or maybe it’s your duty to be a patient parent, even when you’re exhausted. Or to build a business that helps others. Whatever your duty is, will you tough it out when you’re on your last legs? I hope so. After all, everyone else is counting on you.

Enjoy your weekend!

Claude