The Will To Lead
The Will To Lead:
Will is the discipline of the heart and the soul. In my life, nothing challenged my will as much as my time at the United States Naval Academy. With persistence and tenacity, I graduated, went on to be a Marine Corps Officer and then a recruiter of spies for the FBI.
As a Midshipman at the Naval Academy, I made many mistakes that caused me to face failure for the first time in my life. It was only after I humbled up and surrendered myself to the truth, that I was able to make the best of the worst. I had to become both resilient and flexible in order to overcome these obstacles that I had created. As these obstacles disappeared, they created opportunities that I was then able to fully embrace.
That experience was the first of many humbling moments that I faced in my career. Will sometimes has more to do with surrender than it has to do with strength. Some may think will is about bluster and ambition, but it is actually the ability to make the best of the worst. It is the ability to acknowledge the pain that comes with failure and continue on your path. In order to do this, you must build your inner strength.
Your inner strength is built upon the TRUST and the healthy relationships that you have with teachers, mentors and guides in your life. If you think your disadvantages are permanent, you will atrophy. You must always try your best to lean in, build trust and build relationships. This is the key to achieving success, and reaching your potential with your will to lead.
