Very few people have the will — the capacity — to show up and follow-through every single day.
What does it mean to be a leader? How does one lead effectively? These are questions I’m asking of myself these days — as I focus on growing my company, growing personally, and as I help others in growing their own ideas. Growth that isn’t about fame, recognition, or a huge paycheck, but rather — about purpose.
You lose sight of that purpose as you become allured by the quick fix — the easy way out — the blogs and consultants and coaches and books out there that define how to get the best results with minimal effort. The complacency of “reality” sets in, you lose focus of why you got started, and you take on the role of a wanderer as your search for answers.
It would be a helluva lot easier to grow fast. It would be easier to say “yes”. It would be easier to be the kind of leader that aligns all of the cogs to create a well oiled, efficient, money-making machine. You and I could be doing a lot less and making a lot more money, but neither of us would be nearly as happy as we could be. As we should be.
Leadership is synonymous with follow-through. Great leaders ask questions, evaluate the present, plan for the future, and navigate toward specific solutions.
Follow-through is the most valuable asset to any leader. [tweet]
Leaders confidently say yes. More importantly, leaders confidently say no. Want to earn the respect from those around you? Want to really shake things up? Try saying “no” to a seemingly obvious “yes”. Leaders understand that the right thing to do and the hard thing to do are very often the same.
Leading effectively demands accountability. Leadership is about setting clear goals, even if the path to get there isn’t completely understood. Strong leaders take ownership of their role, but welcome and facilitate ongoing collaboration. Leaders align and cultivate ideas. They question and tinker and experiment but most importantly, they follow-through. They keep showing up. Every. Single. Day.
“The world, as it is, is not a permanent reality, but is a temporary product of our choices as creators.” — Bryant McGill
As creative professionals. As leaders. As human beings. We have one power that lies within our control. That power is choice. We choose how to act. We choose what to pursue. We choose when and how to follow-through. The only question, then, is “what will you choose?”
I’m going to continue to choose to lead a life of purpose — on purpose. I’ll choose to be intentional about what I write. I’ll choose to be deliberate about who I hire. I’ll choose to let others push me. I’ll choose to ask “why”. I’ll choose to admit when I don’t know something and I’ll choose to speak up when I do. I’ll choose to confidently say “no” to work that I shouldn’t be doing. And I’ll choose to say “yes” to the good things that come my way.
Leadership isn’t something you’re given. Leadership is a choice. Whatever may lie in front of you — it only seems impossible because it hasn’t been done yet.
Choose to show up. Choose to follow-through.
The world is counting on you.