The True Test of Conviction
A conviction is something deeply held. It’s compelling. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. But here’s the defining line: a true conviction will cost you something. It might cost you everything, but you’re willing to pay that price because it matters that much.
This distinction became crystal clear to me when thinking about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. These weren’t just men with a preference for freedom—they had conviction. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to each other for this ideal called freedom.
The price was extremely high if they got caught. It was sedition. It was treason. Guilty and you’re hung and probably quartered.
They knew exactly what they were signing. They understood they were essentially signing their death warrants in pursuit of freedom. That’s conviction in its purest form.
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Freedom: Preference vs. Conviction
Everyone wants freedom—it’s a universal preference. However, it’s not a conviction for everyone, as not everyone is willing to make significant sacrifices to pursue or defend it.
The founders’ convictions created an imperfect society—very much imperfect—but one that offers more freedom than many other places. Their willingness to risk everything made our current liberties possible.
This pattern extends beyond political freedom to all areas of life where we claim to have strong beliefs:
- We claim to value health, but are we willing to change our comfortable habits?
- We claim to prioritize relationships, but do we make time when it’s inconvenient?
- We state we believe in certain principles, but do we stand by them when they become costly?
The answers to these questions reveal whether we hold preferences or convictions.
Examining Our Own Beliefs
I’ve been asking myself: What do I truly have conviction about? What am I willing to sacrifice for? What beliefs would I defend even at great personal cost?
This self-examination can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary. It strips away pretense and reveals what truly matters to us.
When I examine my own life, I find that I have fewer convictions than I thought I had. Many of my supposed “convictions” crumble when facing real sacrifice. This realization isn’t necessarily negative—it’s clarifying. It helps me understand what I truly value and where I might need to develop a stronger resolve.
The Challenge Before Us
As we celebrate independence and freedom, I invite you to reflect on this distinction in your own life. What do you merely prefer, and what are you truly convinced about?
The founders demonstrated that convictions can change the world, but they come at a price. They require courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment.
We all prefer freedom, but not everyone has the conviction to pay the price to achieve or maintain it. The question is: do you?
In a world that often encourages us to hold our beliefs lightly and avoid discomfort, perhaps what we need most are people willing to stand firmly for their convictions—even when it costs them something.
