“If your actions inspire others to dream more, do more, and become more, you are a leader...”

- John Quincy Adams

If you hadn’t noticed by now, I’ve closed every blog post with the same John Quincy Adams quote. However, for the last blog post in this series, I use the quote as an opening quote. I did so because many of you reading this blog series may not believe that you are influential or are unaware of your influence. You may never see or hear about the reach of your influence. I can almost guarantee that there is at least one person on this earth, in this galaxy that is inspired to dream more, do more and become more, because of you. Somebody made it through a tough week because of you. Someone has been looking at all you’ve been through, what you’ve overcome and they’ve decided NOT to give up because of you. I can also make another guarantee. You wouldn’t have made it to the end of this blog series if your actions weren’t an inspiration. Your very desire to want to know what it takes to walk in the fullness of your dreams is inspiration enough. The action of pursuing knowledge is inspiration enough and that my friend is what makes you a leader.

The phrase, “heavy is the head that wears the crown”, is a variation of a phrase in William Shakespeare’s King Henry IV. It’s an acknowledgment of the burden that tends to fall on leaders. You see, leaders are humans too. Leaders get tired, discouraged, frustrated, angry, anxious, and more. Leaders aren’t exempt from the gamut of emotions that the average person would go through. The difference is, the leader asks him or herself, “if not me then who?!”

If you don’t fight to break the generational barrier in your family then who will? If you don’t fight for financial freedom then who will? If you don’t fight for the relationship then who will? If you don’t press through then who will? Because leaders know, that although being the example can carry a heavy weight, the consequences of not carrying that weight are even greater. You’re on a very personal yet public journey. No, they may not know everything you’ve gone through to get to where you are, but they do know you’re still chipping away at your dreams and that makes your journey all the more important.

The dope part is that you’re not alone. There are tons of stories that illustrate the gauntlets that you’ve been through and the ones you’ll go through that’ll give you road maps to the success you are looking forward to seeing. The key is starting where you are and using what you have available to you.

We started with the “Where” section of the series on purpose. To paint a picture clear enough to give us a better idea of where we needed to begin. The “Why” is the glue that holds the “Where” and the “What” together. If your “Why” isn’t big enough, it doesn’t matter how big your “Where” is and “What” you plan on doing, you won’t have the passion or motivation to follow through on any of it.

By now, your dreams should have evolved into goals and those goals into some actionable steps. You should have a journal with your vision written so clearly that anyone can understand it and begin to act on it. Now the next step in the journey is to do it. Take action toward your plan or plans today. How do eat an elephant or read a book? One bite and one page at a time. Leaders are leaders because they execute on the knowledge that they’ve acquired. You can don’t it, I believe in you.

Until next time my friend. I look forward to seeing you on the other side of your goals.

Chris Chaney

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

- Lao Tzu