Be Draftable

Be Draftable

Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Psalm 15:1-2

When I was coach of the Indianapolis Colts, we evaluated a lot of draft prospects coming out of college. Sometimes a player would have plenty of experience, talent, and skills—and would perfectly fit a need on our team. But in spite of all those qualifications, we still wouldn’t draft him if we had written DNDC next to his name on the evaluation form. That’s because DNDC stands for “Do Not Draft [because of] Character.” No matter how qualified a prospect was, spending a draft pick on someone with a lack of character could be a costly mistake.

Not everyone realizes the importance of character. In the NFL and in American culture, there’s often an undue emphasis on results. To many, it doesn’t matter what kind of person you are as long as you can get the job done. It doesn’t matter whether you follow the rules or break them, as long as you come out on top. Moving up is more important than the way you move up. And in that environment, it’s easy to think that if everyone else is trying to get a competitive advantage at all costs, then you have to join in or lose out. After all, in a results-oriented world, results matter most.

But an emphasis on results over character, even if it pays off in the short term, usually creates long-term problems. In the NFL, this kind of mistake in the draft process can eventually disrupt a team, impacting its work ethic and stability. And this applies to much more than competitive sports. In any area of life, the character of a few affects the well-being of many.

You will never lose by emphasizing character over results. Everyone wants success, but if it comes at the expense of integrity and honor, the cost is too high. Choose what truly matters most: to be successful not just in what you do, but in who you are.

Uncommon Key > Reaching your goals is important, but the way you reach them matters more. God is interested in your success, but He is more interested in your character.