Andy Stanley recently preached a brilliant sermon where he talked about the absolute vitality of self-leadership. Leadership rightfully gets a ton of attention, but when we think of leadership we mostly think about leading others. Self-leadership (or the discipline of leading yourself) is vital because you are a part of every bad decision you’ve ever made. Every regret you’ve walked through in your life is at least partly to the blame on the person staring at you in the mirror. So if you can lead yourself, everything else will benefit as a result. To lead yourself, here are three decisions you need to make:

Decision #1: I will not lie to myself even when the truth makes me feel bad about myself. Is there something about yourself that you’re currently trying to ignore? Self-deception is a leadership killer. If you’ve got a problem but you’re unwilling to admit it to yourself, you will never be able to lead yourself. Who can help you better see your blind spots and be honest about them?

Decision #2: I will prioritize what I value most over what I want now. Everyone else lives for the moment, they live for now. If they get ambitious, they might even live for the weekend. But living for what you want now will steal the things that you ultimately value. What is it you value the most? A strong relationship with your family? A legacy that remains long after you leave? How are your priorities now lining up with what you ultimately value?

Decision #3: I will not attempt to lead myself by myself. Our friends determine the direction and quality of our lives. Do your friends make you a better person? How specifically? Who in your life has permission to speak truth into your life, to ask you hard and uncomfortable questions? How receptive are you to their feedback? God never designed us to thrive in isolation. If you want to lead yourself, you cannot do it by yourself.

For these and many other valuable leadership lessons from Andy Stanley, visit his website here.