You MUST lead yourself first to live a life of Consequence

Leadership has remained one of the most contemporary issues across generations. Most people, associate it with formal positions within organizations. In some cases, it is implied within informal set-ups.

But far from that, the most difficult leadership responsibility is leading oneself. Yet, this form of leadership is rarely ever talked about. From where I sit, this is the most difficult and challenging form of leadership. To lead others effectively, you must be able to lead yourself first.

As we start the year 2023, I shall set the ball rolling by sharing some ideas that can help each one of us to be able to lead ourselves. Failure to lead oneself is the single major reason why millions of people end up living their entire life in mediocrity.

It is the reason majority of people never get to scratch the surface of their potential in life, even after living long enough to get to see their great-grandchildren.  

Here are critical reasons why each one of us must develop an internal capability to lead one-self:

1. It is only you who can write your story between birth and death – being born and the means to die are beyond our human control; the two are ordained by God. However, as soon as you were disconnected from the maternal umbilical cord, your survival instincts kicked in immediately. Until your final breath, there is no one else who can live your life or fight your life’s battles. It thus is your singular duty and responsibility to write your own story, the way you wish it to be;
2. You write your life story with every single passing day, decision, action, or inaction – there never will be any other life to live under the sun. Neither are there any rehearsals – whatever choice or decision you make builds up to the sum total of your life. That is the reason your memory stores even things you learned or did even as a toddler before you discovered who you are;
3. As soon you have attained the age of majority, the rules of living and the laws of the land dictate you take up all the costs as well as what you do with your life – what you eat, where you sleep, and with who, whom you marry or not, what career, where you live, what values your choose to live by is solely yours. Absolutely no one can take up that for you except by legally acceptable consent;
4. It is only you who can control your sphere of influence during your lifetime – personal actions decide the levels of your economic, social and political power and influence. While we are all born with innate survival instincts, personal choices and to some extent the environment shape who we eventually become. Over time, each one of us can develop capabilities to master and overcome even major challenges within our surroundings – it is either we adapt or influence our environment to serve us;
5. We were created to advance not only ourselves but also nature’s creations – each one of us was created with special talents, sometimes only unique to ourselves so that we may advance nature’s creation and leave behind a better world than we found. It then becomes your individual responsibility to discover and exploit those talents and gifts within you to give back to society and the world as your creator desires. Unfortunately, most people live a full life, but exit under the sun without ever using those talents to even help themselves and their offspring. That is why the cemeteries are considered to be the richest places on earth. There lay great human gifts and talents that were never discovered or utilized by their owners –ooh what a waste!

Therefore, as we begin this year, it is my prayer that as many of us may rise up to our individual responsibilities to explore life, enjoy this wonderful world graciously given to us by the creator, and contribute to making society a better place to live in.

Imagine no one is going to wake up early for you to accomplish that extra task that many people won’t do; nobody is going to rock it for you in the gym or home exercise to improve your health or control your diet for healthy living; nobody is going to read that book for you to improve your mental capacity.

Just imagine nobody is going to earn money, save and invest for you in order to enjoy a quality life nor take your parental responsibilities to your children and other loved ones. Actually, nobody owes you anything in this life; only you and you alone can fix your own life.

That’s just the way it has been, it still is and will be for as long as we live. It is the only order the creator of the universe has ordained – so take up your own cross with honor and dignity!