Go it alone

No matter what profession or situation you find yourself in, one of the hardest things for us to do is tackle something by ourselves. It’s one of the unspoken difficulties of being a leader, in fact it’s something most people gloss over, but a lot of the time you are looking down the barrel of a gun at whatever challenge is coming up, all by yourself. You don’t have the luxury of taking it on with a well-assembled team, you’re out there fighting all by yourself. You have to learn to be okay to do it by yourself. Maybe as a parent, maybe as someone who is barely out of training and it’s their first day on the job, there’s no one to look over your shoulder and tell you, “spot on, chief.” It’s a do-or-die situation most of the time and the only person able to watch out for you is you. Most of the time you have to be prepared to take the bullets and incoming fire to clear the path for your employees and loved ones.

General George Patton is generally regarded to be a military legend. There are seldom men who can claim the title of “great military leader,” but he is one of those few--without a doubt. He would stand with his frontline, digging out the tanks under the threat of enemy fire. You will go through your life and face many threats, no matter what you’re doing in whatever capacity it is being done. In your marriage, in your employment, in your spiritual life, no matter what you are attempting to do, you will always find opposition. Being a leader means you are the conduit between your destination and those who depend on you. Understanding this means you are prepared to take the burden of leader on and clear the path for those that follow you, even under enemy fire.