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June 9, 2008

Change the World: Be a Leader on Your Path

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 5:28 am

March to Your Own Drummer

Change the World!

When I was a child, people said I marched to a different drummer. It was said with a bit of love and a forgiving smile. The implication of such a condition was a sad prognosis. It meant that I would never get where folks were supposed to go or that it would take me a hard long road to arrive there.

I’m not sure that I really followed that different drummer. Seems I ended up in a life much like most others. I didn’t take nearly the risks that I might have, nor did I reach for the rings that dreamed of. Secretly I thought those dreams meant for other people.

I’ve come to realize that we’re all leaders who have been following someone else’s path. First in school we learn to lead inside their corridors and conventions. Then in the work world where a veer to the left will get a bad review or an escort to the door with no thought of returning.

We’ve been trained to change ourselves to make ourselves fit into the cars that drive us to the buildings where we work in the jobs that we study for so that we have the right skill sets. And we wonder every day if who we are is good enough to be there. It’s the dilemma of the square peg worrying that someone will find out it doesn’t belong in a round hole.

I guess I finally fell in step with that drummer, because now I show people how to live and work their passion. It’s an amazing thing to see the change when they realize they can be exceptional and make a living.

What if we all fit jobs to ourselves and best skills instead trying to fit us them? Wouldn’t we be outstanding performers? Couldn’t the world use some original thinkers who brought their best to solve the hardest problems? I’m thinking that we would see that sort of work as noble, invigorating, and productive.

What if we became leaders on our own paths following our own drummers?

How could bringing our best be anything less than outstanding?

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Fit your work to you in Models and Masterminds
______________
If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

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15 Comments to “Change the World: Be a Leader on Your Path”

  1. June 9th, 2008 at 6:06 am
    Jonathan Fields said

    Love it, Liz!

    Great way to start the week. I was in the different drummer camp for most of my life as well…still am. And, I’ll encourage my daughter to march to the beat of her own drummer, as long as it’s organic and not a forced attempt to be different.

    Emerson said: “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

    Thanks for starting my week of so wonderfully!

  2. June 9th, 2008 at 6:31 am
    Alina Popescu said

    Hi Liz,

    I’ve been acting a little different from the rest my whole life. however, that wasn’t always because I was following my own rhythm. We sometimes do it because we feel there are things we need to prove to some people. I think we finally take charge of our destiny when we only focus on proving things to ourselves, following our own dreams and living by the principles we believe in.

  3. June 9th, 2008 at 7:27 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Jonathan!
    Thanks for the upbeat encouragement on a Monday. I love starting the week with your smiling face!

  4. June 9th, 2008 at 7:28 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Alina!
    When we start working for our own approval that’s when we hear our own drum for sure. :)

  5. June 9th, 2008 at 9:09 am
    SpaceAgeSage said

    I like this post, like so many of your posts, because it calls to our inner selves to reach higher. I’ve learned there is a huge difference between leadership using external motivation and leadership tapping into internal motivation:
    For example, external:
    “Do this to make mommy happy.”
    “Do this to prove you are worthy of advancement.”
    “Are you a leader or a wimp?”

    Internal:
    “Doesn’t it make you feel good to reach your goal?”
    “Advancement here comes from hard work. It’s up to you.”
    “You have all the skills to be leader, now how do you want to improve?”

    What I like about your approach, Liz, is that you make people want to be better from the inside out, instead of trying to make people conform to an external rule set.

    For example, your SOB award explains, “They take the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.”
    In those words, there is no standard told to us that we must follow. Instead you throw down a non-manipulative challenge to help us see what will really help everyone involved.
    In a world filled with leaders trying to use machinations, manipulations, and mind games to motivate, it is nice to hear your drummer’s beat calling to all of us to motivate from the heart.

  6. June 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Sage,
    I so value what you said here. Thank you.

    It’s never made much sense that I would want a cheerleader saying I always did well or someone who pushed me to be what I could never become. Both seem sort of creepy in their own way.

    But when I see someone who shines with their own belief in who they are, I feel good about who I am too.

  7. June 9th, 2008 at 11:19 am
    Ivana Taylor said

    You inspired me today - see new post at http://www.strategystew.com and add to the conversation - about YOUR uniqueness.

  8. June 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
    Lance said

    Although at times it may not always seem like it, marching to beat of our own drummer really is one of the keys to true joy and happiness in our lives. And those people who are successful (successful in that they are happy marching this way) really are those that provide inspiration for this world we live in. Great stuff!

  9. June 10th, 2008 at 5:32 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Ivana!
    I went over yesterday and today to take a look and couldn’t get the site to open. There’s a problem.

  10. June 10th, 2008 at 5:33 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Lance!
    Finding and hearing our own drummer is a joy. Yeah, I agree. Sadly, some folks don’t like to see us marching by. :)

  11. June 10th, 2008 at 10:22 am
    Deb Call said

    I love how the Universe is supporting me right now with synchronistic messages - your post being one of them!

    Recognizing what fits us individually, what resonates for us, is not only good for us, but as you go on to say, can make a huge positive difference for the world We can’t hear this message enough. Thanks Liz!

  12. June 11th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Deb
    The universe has this way of bringing us just what we need. Like you being here right now. :)

  13. June 16th, 2008 at 8:25 am
    Amadou M. Sall said

    Liz, who is the one and only person you cannot afford NOT to agree with?

    Your spouse, your parents, your kids, the President (or Queen or King or Emperor), your
    boss, your employees, your friends, your colleagues, your religious or spiritual leader, your community leader?

    None of all these!

    There is one and only ONE person you MUST agree with if you want to be successful in
    life, whether healthwise, moneywise, or relationshipwise.

    And that person is YOU!

    Let me hasten to say that this has nothing to do with selfishness.

    In fact, once you agree with yourself, you find it very easy to agree with anybody else.
    Happy and harmonious relationships with other people (interpersonal) can only be built
    based on a perfect relationship with yourself (intrapersonal).

    The same goes for “Know yourself” and “Love yourself”.

    Agreeing with yourself means serenity, peace of mind, self-control, integrity (your
    thoughts, words and actions are in seamless alignment), enhanced self-esteem, which
    result in self-reliance, self-confidence, responsibility, and accountability.

    Also remember that trust, including self-trust and faith in yourself are based on integrity.

    You only become “YOU” when your thoughts, actions, words, prayers, wishes are aligned,
    and that’s when you get all you want.

    Your purpose is laser-focused; there are no “internal contradictions”, no doubts, no
    hesitation.

    When you agree with yourself, you become a “concentrated” person, so concentrated
    that you are “heavier” than an ordinary person.

    You become a magnet, people find you fascinating, charismatic, literally irresistible, and whatever you want, you just “go get it”: You become a real “go-getter”!

    Agree with yourself, and you’ll have the door of Success wide open in front of you.

    Agreeing with yourself breeds “unity of purpose” and that’s like having people pulling all in one direction.

  14. June 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Amadou!
    Wow! Thank you for this inspiring comment. I agree with every word you said. We need to find peace with ourselves to find the path this is our own. :)

  15. June 20th, 2008 at 1:17 am
    Square peg in a round hole — kristarella.com said

    […] Liz Strauss from Successful Blog […]

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