What If We Don't Lead?

Gandhi told us to “be the change you want to see.” John Maxwell teaches us that the first act of leadership is to start with yourself.

As a leader, if I can get victory over myself, if I can fix John Maxwell, the odds are high I can help fix others. If I can’t fix myself, the odds are high I will never be able to add value to and help others.

I thought I understood that.

Then . . .

On September 4, Whitney Johnson tweeted a line as powerful as any I’ve ever read.

Imagine who you want your kids to become. Be that.

Yesterday, Brene Brown shared a similar Carl Jung quote.

The greatest burden a child must bear is
the unlived life of the parents.

I’ve been studying leadership for years, but it wasn’t until I viewed it through the lens of parenting that I understood this principle.

We can’t lead anyone to the mountaintop unless we’ve already been there.

This is true for our children, our employees, or anyone we love.

If there’s a mountain we’re not willing to climb or a giant we’re not willing to face, we’re simply passing it on to the next generation.

Thinking about that stopped me in my tracks.

• Do I live the life I want for my daughter?
• Am I setting her up for a battle with any giants I won’t face?
• What mountains will she have to climb alone?

Ouch.

That gives my “what if” thinking a whole new life.

What if I don’t learn to live healthy?

She’ll have to figure it out on her own.

What if I don’t make saving and tithing a habit?

She’ll have to start that cycle from scratch.

What if I don’t figure out how to stay organized and manage information overload?

She won’t see the tidal wave coming until it hits her.

What if I don’t develop thriving relationships?

She’ll have to learn what being a true friend means from trial and error.

What if I don’t learn to manage my anger, depression, and stress?

She’ll have to find the resources for that on her own too.

What if I don’t follow my dreams?

She’ll have to look somewhere else to find the courage to follow hers.

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For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7