The world has seen many inspiring leaders over time. While we have all read about teachings from historical icons, on many occasions, I have struggled to find them relevant in today’s fast-changing times. However, I have always considered myself to be a student and have managed to learn from the best. Over the years, there are some lessons that have etched themselves in my memory. Today, I am sharing some such lessons that I learned from the top leaders of the world.
Focus on the work; not the prize!
George Washington
When I read about America’s fight against the British Rule and the Continental Army’s triumph, one name that could not be ignored was George Washington. Apparently, after the war was won, Washington wanted to return home and live a simple life. However, people believed in his leadership-his work and demanded his candidacy in the new government. His position did not make him a leader; his leadership got him the position.
By focusing on his work, Washington ensured that he led his people with integrity and courage. I have tried to apply this philosophy in my professional career as far as I could.
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty!
Winston Churchill
As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, Churchill, along with Roosevelt and Stalin formed the Allied Strategy and led the UK from being nearly defeated to victory.
This quote is probably one of the most used ones to highlight the power of positive thinking. Churchill’s decisions during World War II were those of an optimist – of an individual who saw an opportunity in every difficulty.
As a corporate professional, I believe that this should be the mantra for professionals of all ages.Finding an opportunity in difficulty can be the secret to professional success!
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans
John Lennon
When I heard this Lennon quote for the first time, I remember thinking that this was probably meant for people who were averse to planning their lives. I was young and undermined the wisdom of this quote.
Eventually, I realized that life does not happen to you only when you are busy making other plans. Life is constantly happening to each one of us. However, if we spend too much time, energy, or effort in planning, then we can miss the opportunity called today! Hence, people who are too busy making other plans tend to realize that while they were planning, life happened to them.
This led me to relook at how efficiently I was managing my today so that I have a strong platform to execute my plans for tomorrow.
The life you want begins by embracing the life you have
Oprah
All through my growing years, Oprah has been a constant source of inspiration. She always manages to find the right words to express the right wisdom. This quote is especially close to me since I read it at a time when I was struggling with a barrage of unplanned changes happening in my life. I used to keep thinking about why things are never constant. I would make elaborate plans and decide to wait until my life stabilized to execute them. After I read the quote, I realized my folly. Shutting my eyes would not make the problem go away. So, I decided to embrace my life the way it was and jumped into it, solving my problems one issue at a time. Once I started doing that, I had also started creating the life I wanted.
As I grew older, I applied this principle in my professional life too. If I missed out on a promotion, then I would sit and think about what I could do to make myself more worthy of it. Next, I would identify my flaws or weaknesses, accept them, and start working on them to become a better version of myself.
Don’t be afraid to be different
Steve Jobs
The professional journey of Steve Jobs is nothing less than an inspiration for the world. And, if there was one quality that defined his success, it was his willingness to be different. If one person succeeds using a certain approach, then copying him does not guarantee your success. To succeed, you need to stand out from the crowd – you need to be different.
This is a tightrope. I have found many people make counterproductive decisions in their endeavor to be different. It is important to know how far you are willing to stretch the boundaries of the norms before you reach the point of no return.
Summing Up
While every world leader can teach us a lot, we need to have an open mind to learn from them. These are some learnings that I always remember and try to implement in my life. Remember, we are lucky to have centuries of evolution before us. There is a lot thatcan be learned from history or even from people who will go down in history books as the leaders of our times. Choose your learnings and grow! Good Luck!
