“…and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”- Anais Nin
We aren’t born leaders. Sure, there are a select few individuals with innate qualities their peers silently envy, such as confidence and charisma, but those are just characteristics. Leadership is a choice. It is a conscious decision to act upon the persistent longing for more. Leaders are the men and women who were once everyday people dissatisfied with mediocrity. They are the people who, instead of stopping at the mountaintop, search for the next highest peak. They made a decision to act on their hunger. But what was the main catalyzing characteristic to push them towards this bold pursuit? Courage.
The quality that separates leaders from everyone else is their courage: their ability to be bold, unique, and different. Too often, we find ourselves afraid of judgment. Perhaps, we are afraid of failure. Whatever the fear is, it often prevents us from our calling. We tend to play it safe, never doing anything out of the ordinary, going along with the pack. However, we were not meant to fit in! Each of us has something unique and brilliant to offer the world. The desire you can’t let go of? That’s your calling. You can’t allow your fear to inhibit you from your destiny. You must press forward towards your dream. As Marianne Williamson once said, “Your playing small does not serve the world…as we let our own light shine; we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same”. The only thing is, leaders do this consciously. They live to inspire others. The next time you are afraid, remember, this could be your chance to become a leader.
- Monique Mitchell, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee Member
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