Follow the Leader

Follow the Leader

All my life people have asked me if I am a leader or if I am a follower. Undoubtedly you have been asked, or have pondered, the same thing. I used to think I was definitely, 100% a follower. I was afraid to lead people, after all. My shyness always got the better of me. I preferred to be in my head than in a social situation. Everything pointed me in the direction of simply being more comfortable following someone else than taking the lead.

But then I got older, and I thought a lot more about what it means to truly be a leader. It doesn’t mean that you have people following your every move, or that you speak in front of big groups of people, or that you make epic speeches like in the movies. It is a solidarity with oneself, a resolve to do what makes your heart sing, and the confidence to move forward without following someone’s footsteps.

We are all leaders and we are all followers. What matters most is not whether you are predominantly one or the other, but if you are leading yourself. The rest will follow.

How often, in your own life, do you choose the road less traveled? How often do you give yourself permission to go where no one has gone before, or to do something out of your comfort zone. It is easier to follow because it is safe. We find security in knowing that someone else has been through what we will go through. Yet someone had to be first. Everything starts with something. Don’t live your life with someone else’s decisions.

Take hold of what is dear to you. Lead yourself through the unknown and trust in your instincts. Know that you have the power to pull yourself up should you fall, the ingenuity to break new ground, and the love of self to know it is worth it. The greatest things in this world are achieved through personal exploration. Do what you love because you love it. Don’t search the internet for an instruction manual. If you should fall, you will get back up. Falling is not failing, it is a lesson learned on the way to success.

Move bravely on your journey, and you may soon find others following in your footsteps.

 

12 thoughts on “Follow the Leader

  1. Reverse is also true. I normally get the leader-role in projects at work, in the band I play,…
    When I consciously settle myself in the followers-role; people say; “why are you so quiet” “what’s up” or when things not go as they should go “Come on, take it over”. It’s a compliment they want to give me and all I want was an easy day and follow the things that happen…

    Nice blog and pictures! Will certainly come back to look and read!

    All the best

  2. Lovely thoughts for today. Thanks, Brooke.

    I never wanted to be a leader, nor, necessarily a follower. I just wanted to be me. And yet we may not know that what we do inspires others…In essence, then, the “be-er” may become the leader.

    Trusting in one’s instincts should be the path we follow whenever we can, for even in failing we learn what to do! I do know that I am good at some things because of so many mistakes! We should learn to cherish them. 😀

  3. I slip from one to the other depending on the situation I suppose, but for the most part just try to go with the flow.

    Invariably tho as a bit of a talkie cheeky kinda person I end up at the front lol

    Pushing forward with personal goals makes you into a leader of sorts if only for your own personal achievement………….

    Nice to see a mono image from you too 🙂

  4. Wow. It’s good to read these words at this point in my life. When you are younger you don’t know who you are yet, and as you get older fear of so many things creep in and keep you immobile. You choose words that really drive this home for me, THANK YOU!

  5. You have become a source of inspiration to me Brooke, thank you for those beautiful words and the beautiful image.

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