Impact with Eddie Wilson: Episode 21 - The Honor Blueprint | How to Protect Your Time, Energy, and Authority

Introduction

In Episode 21 of the Impact with Eddie Wilson podcast, titled "The Honor Blueprint | How to Protect Your Time, Energy, and Authority," host Eddie Wilson delves deep into the concept of honor. Drawing from his extensive entrepreneurial experience and a unique business operating system developed through owning over 125 businesses, Eddie explores how honor intersects with respect, ego, and personal growth. This episode offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of how to judiciously honor individuals and institutions in their lives, ensuring that their time and energy are invested wisely.

Defining Honor: Beyond the Dictionary

Eddie begins by dissecting the traditional definitions of honor. According to the dictionary, honor means "to show high respect or esteem" or "to give adherence to a conventional standard of conduct." However, Eddie challenges these conventional views, suggesting that honoring someone often equates to giving a part of oneself—most notably, time and positional authority.

"To honor someone is to give them a piece of you, to give them a piece of what is rightfully yours." [00:32]

Honor vs. Respect

A critical distinction is made between respect and honor. While Eddie asserts that everyone deserves respect, not everyone merits honor. Respect involves acknowledging someone's humanity and existence, whereas honor is reserved for those who genuinely deserve your time and authority.

"Respect is giving place to others, whether it's in their speech or in their desires or their opinions. I believe that everyone deserves respect. However, not everyone deserves honor because not everyone deserves your time and not everyone deserves positional authority in your life." [13:40]

The Essence of Honor: Time and Authority

Eddie emphasizes that time is the essence of honor. Honoring someone involves dedicating your time and granting them a degree of positional authority in your life. This reciprocal relationship means that as you honor others with your time, they, in turn, honor you by valuing the time you invest.

"Honor is the gift of time or positional authority." [13:40]

Balancing Honor and Ego

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the interplay between honor and ego. While ego often fuels an inflated self-view and can lead to withholding or misdirecting honor, true honor serves as a counterbalance, keeping ego in check.

"Ego will prop me up. However, honor holds me accountable because of the positional authority that I actually possess." [19:00]

Who Deserves Honor?

Eddie outlines three primary categories of individuals or entities that deserve honor:

1. Honor God: Eddie firmly believes in honoring God, regardless of individual belief systems. He references scriptural definitions, emphasizing that honoring God involves giving Him the ultimate authority and time.

   "If you believe that God exists, it would be crazy to remove the very existence out of his life by not giving authority or time to it." [05:00]

2. Honor Oneself: Honoring oneself is crucial because, in Eddie's view, individuals are created for a purpose. To honor oneself means acknowledging one's strengths and areas for growth, ensuring that personal integrity aligns with honoring the divine purpose.

   "To honor myself, I have to give time and positional authority to myself." [13:41]

3. Honor Those Around Us—Selective Honor: While everyone deserves respect, only a select few earn the honor. Eddie cautions against honoring individuals who demand your time without deserving it, often driven by ego rather than genuine merit.

   "I will honor that because the position they're in is a position of knowing... However, the moment that you allow somebody to take positional authority in your life that does not deserve it, rarely, if ever, can you get it back." [17:59]

Practical Applications in the Workplace and Family

Eddie provides concrete examples of how to apply these principles:

• In the Workplace: Employees who genuinely contribute and possess the necessary experience should be honored with time and authority. Conversely, those who overstep or act out of ego without merit should have their honor withheld to maintain organizational integrity.

  "If someone in your business is demanding time without deserving it, you have to dishonor that request to maintain balance and respect." [17:59]

• In the Family: While children and family members deserve respect, their demands for time (especially from younger children) don't always merit honor unless they are presented respectfully and constructively.

  "Respect has to still be why... Your child deserves my time because that typically... It goes back to demanding my time versus a gifting of my time." [31:21]

Consequences of Misplaced Honor

Eddie warns of the detrimental effects of honoring undeserving individuals. Misplaced honor can lead to a distorted balance between what is right and wrong, undermining personal and professional relationships.

"Once you honor something that is not worth honoring, what you do is you change the balance of what is right and what is wrong." [19:00]

Listener Engagement: Taking Inventory

Towards the end of the episode, Eddie prompts listeners to take inventory of who they honor in their lives. He encourages them to assess whether these individuals truly deserve their time and authority, offering actionable steps to recalibrate their honors.

"Who are you honoring in your life today who should not be given time or positional authority? Think about family members and colleagues." [25:28]

Co-Host Insights

Larry Yatch, a Navy SEAL and co-host, engages with Eddie on the topic, drawing parallels between honor and biblical principles like the Golden Rule. Larry emphasizes the importance of diagnosing and addressing issues related to misplaced honor in both personal and professional settings.

"You've talked about how you enjoy truth because it is universal. It doesn't need to be translated, it just is. Therefore, truth can scale very large." [26:14]

Conclusion

Eddie Wilson's deep dive into honor offers listeners a framework to discern who deserves their time and authority. By differentiating between respect and honor, understanding the role of time in granting honor, and balancing honor against ego, individuals can protect their energy and foster meaningful, impactful relationships. The episode serves as a valuable guide for those seeking to live intentionally and make a significant impact in both their personal and professional lives.

Notable Quotes

• "Honor is the gift of time or positional authority." [13:40]
• "Ego is the enemy. Everything I want is on the other side of my ego." [19:00]
• "Honor God with thy substance, the first fruits of all thine increase." [26:26]
• "Time is your most valuable asset. To allow the essence of your life to be removed by giving it to those that are unworthy is the definition of insanity." [32:45]

Final Thoughts

This episode underscores the importance of intentional living and the judicious distribution of one’s most valuable resources—time and authority. By honoring God, oneself, and truly deserving individuals, listeners can create a ripple effect that not only enhances their lives but also positively impacts the world around them.