Why do you want to be a leader? You may not think you need to be, don’t have a lot of people that depend on you.
In fact, what is a leader? What do they do? Why do they do it? And who do they need or want to lead and influence?
“Leaders inspire to aspire.” Leaders achieve those things in front of themselves that, alone, may seem daunting, but can be accomplished and overcome, made to happen, with someone who can encourage the potential, the possibility, the success of the campaign.
Every single human being alive aspires for something, even if it is just their next meal: Or a more meaningful relationship, a new car, a new job, a new business to start, a value to bring to themselves, their families, those who they care about.
If you still have dreams, you must be a leader, a leader of yourself, to command yourself into action, into breaking through limitations, and rising above the rabble, the circumstances, to go beyond what you have previously done before, to solve more problems, to embrace the challenges and create a life that is calling you to dream it into existence, to create it, to make it real and show up in the material world.
One of my favorite stories is about Charles Swab, who was in one of his factories, and there was a big sign on the wall that said: No Smoking.
Some men were gathered there, right under the sign, and one man was smoking. So Charles Swab, being the tactful leader he was, did not criticize, did not confront the person, just handed him one of his expensive cigars and asked, “Would you mind smoking this at home?”
The men got the point.
Leaders get the point.
Leaders inspire people to have the self disciple, the resolve, the commitment to make things happen and get them done.
An effective leader can be the outside authority just long enough, so that the person finally understands that they no longer need an outside authority; they are the authority, the motivation, the resolve, the focused force that can be, do and have anything they put their minds to getting, achieving and becoming.
You be the leader of yourself. You command greatness, self discipline, and the determination and persistence to never give up, to win, to make your dreams come true.
As you get better and better at this, as your stature and confidence goes up, as your words carry a power, a piqued and absolute resolve, then you begin to make things happen quickly. You begin to attract the right people, the right circumstances, the newfound opportunities to you and your life—then your desires and your dreams begin coming true.
Leaders do what other people are not willing to do to achieve their objectives. Leaders inspire a higher truth, a more profound ideal—reasons to succeed.
Within you is the truth of never giving up, of believing you will win at whatever you believe in your mind you can do.
I met a woman just the other day who told me not long ago her doctor told her she had diabetes. Before this she had tried and tried to lose weight with little or marginal success.
But when the doctor told her she had diabetes, and she knew her father had died of diabetes at the age of 45, she instantly made a commitment to lose the weight.
She very soon lost 25 pounds, and no longer has diabetes.
According to a story by Brian Tracy, a man’s son was a doctor. The father was 50 pounds overweight and in very, very poor health with many ailments. His son, the doctor, told his father that if he did not lose 50lbs in six months he would be dead.
Guess what happened? The father lost the weight, kept the weight off and did not die in six months but, instead, lived a very long and healthy life.
What event or information do you need to finally succeed, to become that leader in your own heart, your own spirit, that will catapult you to do and to achieve the things that you have not yet done, that must be done, that are your gifts given by God for you to explore, to use and to serve the many?
You may say, “I am not a leader because I work for someone else.” Brian Tracy has said many times, “No one works for anyone. In fact, you are the owner of your own personal services corporation.”
And the more valuable you become, the more skills you develop, then the higher price you can charge for your services.
Charles Swab was employed by Andrew Carnegie and was paid over a million dollars a year in the early 1900’s. Carnegie knew that Swab was worth it and if he was not willing to pay him such a high salary, Swab would go somewhere else.
Believe in your own leadership skills, your value to your family and the marketplace. If you still have dreams, goals, things you want to achieve, (and we all do if we are still alive) then you can and must become a better leader.
Leaders inspire. Leaders have tenacity, grit, bulldog determination to make things happen, to win, to never lose, to inspire in others (and themselves) that… “Failure is not an option.”
Patton once said, “When you dig a fox hole you have dug a grave.”
Leaders keep moving, are moving targets, always learning, growing, achieving more…like the CANI principle of Tom Robins….Constant and Never-ending Improvement.
Tenants of leadership—according to Patton:
- Tactically Aggression
- Strength of Character
- Steadiness of Purpose
- Acceptance of Responsibility
- Energy, Motivation, Physical activity
- Good Health
According to George S. Patton: “Commanders, command.”
Leaders lead…and they bring out the best in others.
Your job is not to control the world, but rather to control and inspire yourself. Do this and you become, instantly, the leader you were meant to be.
You, as the leader of your family, as the leader of your own desires and dreams, must first work at becoming a better and better leader, a controller of your own thoughts, emotions, desires, actions and decisions.
Command yourself each day, to get out of bed, to make more money, to be healthy, to be happy, to have an extraordinary day, to be inspired, to help more people, to achieve whatever you want…and never give up.
“Declare victory, and you have won.”—Patton