Stickability

Joss Billings wrote, “Consider the postage stamp; its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.”

Stickability is a leadership virtue I see in great leaders.

Take General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, for example. This leader modeled remarkable stickability. He said, “While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, I’ll fight; while there is a poor lost girl upon the street, I’ll fight; while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – I’ll fight to the very end.” This is exactly what he did. General Booth stuck for 34 years, leading the Salvation Army from 1878 until he died in 1912.

Leaders who have the greatest impact demonstrate great stickability — they choose with great restraint and strength to STAY. They refuse to believe the grass is greener on the other side, but instead, with great stickability, they water the grass they’re already standing on. Here’s what I know: for many pioneering leaders, it requires more faith to stay than it does to go. As you read this today, may you find encouragement and vision to STICK to what you started.

May you, as Eugene Peterson once said, live and lead with “a long obedience in the same direction”.

Stick!

-Jon