Renowned speaker Inky Johnson has a remarkable way with words that cuts to the core of what it means to lead.

Recently, while addressing the University of Florida football team, Johnson delivered an insightful message centered around a critical principle: A sense of urgency.

“Your urgency level will always dictate what you are willing to tolerate,” he said. “Your urgency level for success will always dictate what you are willing to tolerate. Your urgency level for greatness will always dictate what you are willing to tolerate.”

His message underscores a fundamental truth: Urgency is a key skill and a driving force behind sustained excellence and high performance.

But it’s not about rushing; it's about intentional focus and the discipline to prioritize what truly matters.

As leaders, we often face a barrage of distractions and competing demands. Those who excel amid the pressures and competing voices have a sense of urgency that guides them in filtering out the noise and focusing on the critical tasks and goals at hand.

"If you have an urgency level to want to do something, there are certain environments you don't even go into,” Johnson said. “It's certain dialogue you don't even entertain. It's certain people that you don't even hang around. It's certain things you don't even do. It's certain things you don't even eat. It's certain places that you are not even willing to go."

The essence of leadership is in setting standards — not just for ourselves but for those we lead. What we tolerate becomes the culture we create.

If our urgency for excellence and doing the right thing is grounded in conviction and consistency, we simply won't allow ourselves or our teams to settle for mediocrity.

Johnson's message is not just motivational; it's actionable. Here are practical ways we as leaders can infuse urgency into our leadership and lives:

1. Set Non-Negotiables: Define the standards that are aligned with what truly matters. Decide what you will and won't tolerate, and make these boundaries clear.

2. Eliminate Distractions: Be intentional about where you spend your time and energy. Avoid environments, people, and habits that detract from your focus. Remember, "no" is a complete sentence.

3. Prioritize Relentlessly: Urgency is not about doing more but doing what matters most. Identify key priorities and commit to them with unwavering focus and consistency.

4. Hold Yourself Accountable: Urgency must be backed by discipline. Regularly evaluate your actions against what you have stated as most important in your life. Are you truly operating with the urgency and sweat equity your objectives require?

5. Lead by Example: Your team takes cues from you. Demonstrate what urgency looks like through your actions, communication, decisions, and daily living.

Urgency isn't just a buzzword — it's a mindset, a daily way of being and doing that sets the standard, shapes what we tolerate, and ultimately defines what we achieve both individually and collectively.

Johnson's words resonate because they capture a truth we all recognize but often dismiss: Meaningful progress and performance remain inconsistent without a sense of urgency.

As Johnson added, "You can say it all day, but if you ain't got no urgency for it, I don't believe it."

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