What are my gifts and how can I bring them forth? I have asked myself that question throughout my sixty year journey. Sometimes we think we want certain things in life because the outside world or those in our inner circle believes we should want them. Align your action with your desires and dreams. In today's society, all of our skills must be transferable. Strive to provide purpose and meaning to others in every aspect of your life no matter the magnitude of the act. There is no point in being wiser unless you use it for good. With greater influence comes immense responsibility.
When in doubt be low-maintenance. You pay a massive prize for being high-maintenance. As a leader, you have to become comfortable with looking like the dumbest person in the room. Not having all the answers makes you human. Not taking the time to find the right questions is what separates the average leader from the good leader and the good leader from the great leader. The exceptional leaders do not make more followers, they nurture, build and empower more change agents. Through life's high and low moments taking ownership will always be the smartest strategy. It fosters authenticity, creates productive awareness and reinforces trust in your relationships.
Leading yourself and leading others will challenge you daily to distinguish between the vast distinction between being busy and being productive. Being busy is not enough. It is what you are busy doing that counts. Life is a self-discovery journey of pushing the boundaries to reach your outer limits.
When faced with difficulty and obstacles lean into the struggle while accepting what is and viewing the experience as a growth opportunity. I have learned to love everything that happens on the journey while trusting that it is for the best to grow from it and to emerge better from it. Most problems you will encounter cannot just be solved using one fixed mindset. The more diversity of thought towards a problem, the better you are able to solve the problem with a sustainable solution. Make setbacks an opportunity for discovering rather than blame. Getting better begins with small actions compounding. Your progress always starts with the first step. So show up every day with passion, purpose, positive energy, and grace!