December 9, 2024

The most challenging leadership battles we fight are not in the conference room, the marketplace, or even our personal relationships. The mind is the true battlefield where leadership is won or lost.

The thoughts we entertain, the beliefs we hold, and the attitudes we adopt all shape how we lead ourselves and others. In other words, to lead your external world, you must first lead your internal world – the world of the mind.

Here’s the issue: our minds naturally have a bias toward serving ourselves. An undisciplined mind constantly asks questions like, “What’s best for me?” “How will this affect me?” “What do I want?” But this kind of thinking is the complete opposite of what great leadership, in every realm, requires. You see, the heart of leadership is about serving others, not ourselves.

When we shift our focus to serving others, our lives become less about success and more about significance.

Think about it – many of the world’s greatest leaders have mastered the war of the mind to serve the greater good – the kind of authentic leadership that comes from the heart and adds value to the world, the people around you, and yourself.

Every day, in all areas of our lives, we can be leaders who strive to live beyond ourselves and embody the kind of leadership we would follow. Achieving significance does not happen by accident; it requires intentional effort.

Intentionally Own It: Consider asking yourself, "Would I be satisfied if those around me adopted a leadership style like mine? If not, what changes do I need to make within myself to improve my influence?”

-Adapted from High Road Leadership