Gaian Newsletter Volume 5.4

May 9, 2008

Learning to Lead your own Path

There is a great paradox in inspirational leadership. Those people who are most connected with their source of power and inspiration are generally the least concerned with directing or controlling what others do. They are, in their deepest and most sincere places, driven to direct their own actions. This deep and innate action is what creates the sense of tribal unity that has others work their hardest to move in the same direction as their leader.

Now, they usually want particular outcomes in the world, and they want for other people to share in particular sensibilities. In a business setting, the global leader definitely wants for people in the organization to pay attention to particular areas and details, but usually to the degree that these areas produce particular results. This leader will hope that the people in the organization actually want the same things, and that their desires guide constructive action. Their starting point will be one in which they are connecting with themselves first.

There is a very simple path to accomplishing this basic and essential first step of leadership. Here’s our formula.

• Find your passion. That is the thing that you most love and want to have happen in the world.


• Connect with it on a deep and personal level. Become an expert. Make it a part of the fabric of your life and the essence of your being.


• Put it into the world in a big, big way. Imagine the greatest possible contribution that you can make – double that, then double it again, then figure out how you can live it into being every day of your life.

Simple, right? Well, actually, it is. We begin early in life with this, learning things that interest us, excelling in sports, learning music, becoming artists, engineers, architects and other creative pursuits. We begin in small ways, but as we become more conscious and connected, our interests begin to shift to larger and more connected issues. We begin to grow beyond the point of being able to do it all ourselves, and then enter the realm of influence, where we must begin to rely on others for our dreams to be fully realized. We move our passions from areas of interest to hobbies to life purposes. Along the way, those areas of interest will probably change. What will remain constant is the skill that you have acquired in learning to engage an idea and hold it in a deeply important place.

While it may seem formulaic, and it may seem daunting, it is an absolute requirement. If you cannot be inspired, how will you ever hope to inspire others? If you cannot find your own way, why would anyone ever choose to follow you?