993. "Every artist was first an amateur."

"Every artist was first an amateur." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Practice, Practice, Practice. Going off my last post about having role models and heroes, this post is about how to because others role models and heroes. At one point in time, every CEO was a high schooler, every MLB player struck out for the first, second, third time, etc, and every actor was in his first play. Not many people are born into the limelight (unless your Paris Hilton). 

To become famous, or enviable, you have to put in your time. The "Mona Lisa" wasn't Da Vinci's first attempt at art. His first ever drawing was probably just as bad as yours or mine (maybe a little better). If you have an interest, but think you won't be good at it, just try and keep at it. I'm not musically incline, so I didn't think I could play the harmonica, but now I can. If you want to be good at something, just keep practicing and hustling and you will be eventually. However, you have to start somewhere. Just thinking you would like to be good at something will get you nowhere. So act on you desires, act on your dreams and hustle and practice until you drop. Don't worry about failing and falling, pick yourself up and keep working. Eventually you'll succeed.

995. "A great man is always willing to be little."

"A great man is always willing to be little." Ralph Waldo Emerson


Great leaders are born and made, in my opinion. There is a certain knack for leadership, that some people just have. It's hard for you to define leadership but a wise man once told me the best definition ever. He said, "you can't define leadership, but when you see it, you know it." And strongly believe this is true, when you see a leader in action, it resonates with leadership. There are those who lead with an iron fist (but you need an absurd amount of power to do this), there are some who lead from a high pedestal (but you also need a lot of power). And the fact about both of these types of leaders is that their subordinates do not like them much.


In those two examples, their subordinates follow because they must, but at first change they will leave or kill the leader. The best way to lead is in the midst of your follows. Julius Caesar would never send his men to do what he wouldn't do himself, Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller made sure to always fight with his men. The fact of the matter is, if you want to be a great leader, you must be with the majority. This is for three reasons. 


The first reason is because you will know your followers needs and wants more closely, and without your followers, you are nothing. The second is you will earn the respect of your followers because they know you are right their with them, feeling the same things they feel. And third and possibly most important is that you will be able to bond with your followers, there is nothing greater than a close, tight knit "family". This doesn't just apply to war scenarios but any aspect in life where you want to be a leader. Be it in a group project, a group of friends, an organization you belong to. If there's one thing to learn from this is to never let power go to your head, stay the little guy while being the leader and earn respect along the way. Have a good weekend and ill be back on monday!