Video: 'What Are You Prepared to Do?'

Eliot Ness was an American Prohibition agent famous for leading “The Untouchables” in the manhunt for gangster Al Capone. In the 1987 movie highlighting the capture, Chicago beat cop Jimmy Malone meets with Ness to discuss their strategy — and asks Ness how badly he really wants him. When Ness says he’s willing to do anything within the boundaries of the law, Malone follows with a critical question: “What are you prepared to do?”

Young people are often asked that question as they enter the workforce and pursue their dreams with great ambitions. But we can’t limit the question merely to our professional goals. We need to start asking ourselves “What are you prepared to do?” in other facets of life as well.

What are you prepared to do today to improve your knowledge?

What are you prepared to do today to become a better person?

What are you prepared to do today to become a better parent or partner?

What are you prepared to do today to improve our physical and mental health?

What are you prepared to do today to become mentally tougher? 

What are you prepared to do today to help others? 

What are you prepared to do today to… fill in the blank?

We cannot execute our mission without the right preparation each day. If we want something down the road, we need to make the necessary sacrifices in the present that others simply refuse to.

As we try to improve just a bit today as leaders, we first need to identify the concessions we’re willing to make and the lengths we’re willing to travel to actually get better.

What are you prepared to do?