As we spoke about confidence we need to discuss how we get there outside of the feelings and how we embrace confidence instead of simply emoting it—we need to talk about the actions.  So this is what leadership means: the act of leading a group of people or an organization.  Sure, we can gain confidence from leading others but so often, especially in this society, leading others becomes an issue of ego and power.  We want a title or a position to be perceived as powerful, in authority.  But the most important facet of leadership, the thing that develops us into someone who has confidence to become who they are meant to be, is the ability to lead ourselves.  We all have the capacity to lead, but it takes discipline and a sense of self to lead effectively.  Discovering the leader within and understanding the role of leadership in our personal lives leads us to understand that we don’t need to hold a title/position in order to lead our lives.  We need to treat each aspect of our lives with leadership and accountability in order to progress where we want to be.

 I’m not talking about “seriousness” or perceived authority or even having it all together—I’m talking about owning the moment and taking responsibility for how we want to feel and how we want to approach what we want to accomplish. The real premise and idea of leadership is taking accountability for every facet of our lives and seeing it through. The following pieces are all from Robin Sharma’s The Leader Who Had No Title. That book is filled with gems—most of these came from the first few chapters but I could take snippets from the entire book.  The book is about taking responsibility for our lives and finding the inner strength to move forward, to take accountability for the way our lives are and getting to where we want to be.  It’s about using our voices to share what we know is right and to live how we feel is appropriate without harming others.  It’s making decisions that are right for us and following through on them.  It’s putting aside our sensitivities in favor of what is right for all.  It’s standing in the moment unafraid of what people say or think, secure in the knowledge that we can handle whatever comes our way. 

These are some musings as I’ve progressed from talking about decisions and then giving up on them when things don’t go quite right.  I’ve learned that we can’t just talk about what we want in theory because without practice we accomplish nothing.  That means making a decision and seeing it through even when things get rough.  It means that what we say, think, and feel may not be of the popular opinion but we see it through anyway because we know it’s right.  The world doesn’t always operate in absolutes or even with clearly defined right and wrong.  It’s up to us to navigate the labyrinth of work we create for ourselves and to identify if what we are doing is no longer working.  It’s up to each of us to let go of the fear of what people think, let go of the system, and create a different way to go.  Leadership is never about power, it’s about a common goal and an outcome achieved that benefits all.  Leadership isn’t a solo act, it’s a collaboration and a guiding force rather than a directive with only one outcome.  It’s an evolving thing and we need to understand the communal nature as well as our individual responsibilities.  Confidence and leadership are enough to change the world.