You are Your Best Leader
Today is a great a reminder that you’re the best choice for leader in your life!
(Originally published November 2020)
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the 2020 election would remain undecided this morning. Par for the course for a year that has turned every expectation on its head. Still, there’s a gentle reminder to be found in these moments of uncertainty:
It's not about who is elected; it's about what YOU elect to do!
Many years ago I had a scary medical diagnosis. After beating cancer once, my five year checkup revealed a new problem. The doctors weren’t so sure: there was a significant uncertainty about the next few weeks. Each specialist had a different perspective. Maybe it was this; perhaps it was that; we could try this; or we could try that. Some roads led to victory; other, not.
With every moment that passed, my mind went wild with speculation. At one point, I had to wait weeks for a critical test. It was during that period that I actually felt most sick - waiting and worrying.
So I called my mentor and told him what everyone else was saying. He listened carefully and then asked one question:
“What are you saying to yourself today?”
It was one of the greatest lessons of my life. We don’t have to wait for others - to agree, to decide, to act - to elect our own good day. There will be plenty of big, scary things we can't control. Yet the most likely things to happen are entirely of our own making. What’s more, we are pretty good at defying the odds - growing when others decide to recede, speeding up when others slow down, accomplishing when others quit.
Once we realize that it's not really up to others to decide:
What to do with the sunrise today!
Maybe the landscape will change and you’ll have to detour.
That’s never stopped you before.
Maybe the rules will seem ruinous, and you’ll hit a wall.
You’ve scaled bigger ones in the past.
Maybe the noise will get louder and you’ll feel the pressure.
That’s exactly how a diamond is revealed from the rough!
You know how the story ends. I eventually beat that challenge. Since then, others have happened. That's just life. Electing to lead my thoughts is what makes the difference: The problems don't go away - but I realize that most of what happens to me isn't the result of anyone else - in the neighborhood, at school, at work, or in government.
I've already elected a leader for life - in myself. The one who looks in the mirror every morning as the darkness fades, and says out loud:
“You are healthy and strong and capable of anything.
You won’t let anyone or anything stop you today.
You are ready for a challenge - it’s what your destined to do.
Nobody can stop the sun from shining -
Which leaves everything you’ve dreamed of -