The ugly duckling

At my worst moments during childhood, this story warmed my heart: the ugly duckling that was in fact a beautiful swan.

I have seen that in my life and many others’: from being bad or not so intelligent, people have turned wonderful people. My question is: How?

A few years in Colombia, I’ve met my publisher who convinced me to write a book. I decided to write on self-leadership and it turned to be a way for me to understand my own process from being an ugly duckling to a swan.

The story is really about overcoming limitations and becoming what your dreams are showing. It was for me an inspiration and I am sure it can be for you too.

I suggest you to consider yourself an ugly duckling and think about those limitations or weaknesses that are preventing you to become that wonderful swan. Don’t think too much of them…

Now, see yourself as that wonderful swan: you have overcome all those things and you are now whole… Think of that the time you want.

Many virtues and many defects

Maybe we don’t realize, but we have so many virtues – qualities that ease relationships and make life in a collective a wonderful experience.

Perhaps what we don’t realize is the quantity of defects we have – qualities that make life with others and the environment much hard.

We have both and it is good to know that, and to embrace both sides of the self. In a recent song nominated for the Oscar, the singer talks about how she saw clouds in a romantic way, until she understood clouds may mean harm and damage too. Life has both sides and to deny either of them is not healthy.

So if you are one of the many people in the world who don’t think very high of yourself, it is time to change that mentality: count your victories despite their small size, understand your main positive qualities and develop them, and above all, love yourself.

And if you are one of many who denies having any defects, just accept them: remember your defeats as a way to get a bigger success, work on those defects you have and, along with all that, unconditionally love yourself.

When you keep working on both sides, your life will be richer and you will inspire many others too.

Understanding the self, others and life – a key for success

The first stage for success is to reach a point when the person really knows himself, in all its levels and dimensions: what he likes and what he does not, strengths and weaknesses, potentials, virtues, inner powers, capacity, etc.

However, it is not enough. Know thyself is essential, but it is equally important to know others and life in general.

Well, if you still feel don’t know yourself, then take your time to do it by exploring and talking with yourself, without any judgment or preconception.

Then, do the same for others: explore, talk and don’t judge. By knowing others you will be able to create lasting bonds and make the best of your lives on this planet, because you’ve probably have noticed our species, communities and societies are based on relationship more than anything.

Then, do the same for the rest of this blue jewel in the black ocean of space: explore reality going beyond any assumption; relate to nature in all ways possible, and don’t judge. This will guarantee your path in this world will be firm, but without hurting anything on the way.

And then success comes, as natural as a river flowing downstream... It comes from your dedication to understand reality and improve yourself, as improvement comes with real honest observation.

Success comes because it has been always around, you only needed to realize it.

True leaders plant the seeds of new leaders - Reason 37

I will tell you one thing: a good leader is one who is capable of bringing up other leaders.   If a leader wants to lead alone, he is a tyrant.   True leadership is fruitful.   Each one of you has the seed of leadership.   The leaders of today will not be here tomorrow.   If they do not plant the seed of leadership in others, they are worthless.   They are dictators.[1]    Pope Francis

Literature often paints our society as a dance between leaders and followers.  As time passed by it turned to be a dance between followers only.  After all, leaders who are not true, they are indeed following someone else.

Whenever there is a leader who is dedicated to a true leadership, it comes from within.  It is based neither on a position in the organisation, nor even on the capacity to influence.  It comes from a conviction that will inspire and create future leaders, not just more followers.

Pope Francis highlights something very important in this quote:  the‘fake’ leaders who are in a certain position in the organisation or have a huge influence on others, are those who tend to create followers who do not question, and who will remain as followers unless they make a conscious decision to free themselves.

In contrast, true leaders will be surrounded by people who empower themselves and choose a clear destiny.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

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[1] Pope Francis.  He mentioned this during a teleconference with students from Havana and New York.  You can see the article at http://www.edition.cnn.com/2015/09/17/world/pope-francis-new-york-cuba-youth/