Being a Leader

Being a leader is not about title or position. We’ve developed this misconception that title within a company, team, or any other organization determines leadership quality and ability. It is not the title that makes the leader, but the individual’s character. It is very difficult to lead someone else if you haven’t learned first to lead yourself. You must look deeply within yourself to discover first who you are so others can trust you. At times, leadership is more of a mindset than it is a physical activity. In order to be a leader, one does not need to be physically leading people every waking second as if there were some spot at the “front of the line” that you always must administer and give direction from. Leadership is a mentality and an attitude, and can be as much about preparation and foresight as deliberate action. Leaders know their place in the world, have a vision for what they want to lead and create, and then convert that vision into reality.

But above all, a leader must first be a leader of himself before he can earn the privilege and the trust to lead others. It is through his own preparation and purposeful action that he can showcase his ability and gain the trust and respect of those who need his vision and courage. This is why in a world with so much uncertainty, challenge, and opportunity we need more potential leaders to recognize their duty and embrace the challenge that lies within themselves to overcome their limiting beliefs and embrace their purpose, and we all possess the ability to lead ourselves. Leadership is as much about recognizing your potential for service to the world as it is about having it already, insofar as you act on that potential. By taking ownership for your life, you are setting an example of what it means to be a leader, and consequently, you will teach others what it means to lead themselves.

Becoming a leader is about making a decision to stand up for what you believe in and putting your vision into action. You need to find your inner strength. Go to that place inside you that is unshakeable. Think about a time when you were so empowered that no matter what happened nothing could stop you from getting what you wanted. Feel the power of that strength and let it travel, starting in your core, through the rest of your body as you relive that experience in your mind. It is from this place of empowerment that will allow you to create the opportunities in your life that you desire. There is no room for doubt. You may use doubt as a tool to remind you that strength and certainty must prevail. Sometimes having that polarity is good because it makes you aware of what you need to do to feel certainty and strength. As doubt creeps up, you bring your attention to it briefly and then suppress it and overshadow it with your inner might. Leaders are aware of what they are capable of, and what their perceived limitations are, and then they harness the positive energy within themselves to conquer their limitations and turn them into strengths.

The evolution of a leader is as much about intent as it is about attaining immediate results. By taking responsibility for yourself and what you are capable of contributing in this life, and having a clear vision of your purpose, you are leading yourself to a place of leadership of others, not by deliberate persuasion, but through your own example, and there has never been a more propitious time to exude your leadership qualities in morals, values, ethics, love, passion, and the power of this moment, right now. Take responsibility for your life and embrace the character of the leader inside of you that you are becoming today.