The Secret to Leadership: Embracing Discomfort and Fighting Against Our Natural Tendencies

Hello everyone, I’m Liz, your host at the Luminary Leadership Podcast. Today, I want to share with you my unique perspective on the secret to leadership. I believe that the key to being a successful leader is to fight against our natural tendencies and be willing to make sacrifices. This realization came to me through reflecting on my own journals and observing other great leaders like Mother Teresa, Larry Bird, and Winston Churchill.

The Importance of Recognizing Our Comfort Zones

One of the most important aspects of leadership is recognizing the areas where we haven’t been willing to go because they feel hard or uncomfortable. These are the areas that hold the potential for our growth. I encourage you to identify these areas and take action, even if it means doing things we don’t want to do.

Leveraging Our Strengths to Overcome Our Weaknesses

Another crucial aspect of leadership is leveraging our strengths to overcome our weaknesses. I once had a client who struggled with patience but was highly skilled in systems and discipline. I advised her to use these strengths to develop strategies and systems that could help her practice patience until it became second nature.

Fighting Against Our Natural Tendencies

I’ve had to fight against my own natural tendencies, which include being a workaholic or a sloth. I acknowledge that in order to become the best version of myself and fulfill my mission, I must fight against these tendencies. I suggest leveraging discipline, accountability, and creating margin in life to be aware of how we’re living and avoid falling into autopilot.

True leadership is different from entrepreneurship. Leadership requires constantly cutting down new paths and exploring beyond the ruts we’ve created. By doing so, we can achieve extraordinary success and alignment with our purpose.

Embracing Discomfort: Lessons from Mother Teresa and Winston Churchill

I want to highlight two individuals who have mastered the art of embracing discomfort and pushing against their own comfort zones: Mother Teresa and Winston Churchill. Despite their struggles, they remained committed to their missions and showcased resilience and unwavering commitment.

Fighting Against Our Natural Tendencies: Lessons from Winston Churchill and Larry Bird

Winston Churchill and Larry Bird are two examples of leaders who fought against their natural tendencies to become better leaders. Churchill turned his speech impediment into a strength, while Bird focused on developing a strategic mindset and basketball IQ, reshaping the way basketball was played.

The Importance of Self-Reflection and Self-Awareness

To fight against our own nature, we need to create space for self-reflection and self-awareness. Taking just 15 minutes a day for introspection can help us identify our natural tendencies that may be holding us back. Additionally, we can embark on skill development challenges to improve in areas where we are weak.

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I encourage you to engage with the show and share your feedback. Your comments help us attract incredible guests to serve you better. I also invite you to follow me on Instagram at @elizhartke and reach out if you have any topics, questions, or guest suggestions.

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The show is created for you, and the more you share your thoughts, the better we can serve you. I express my gratitude for the time spent with me and emphasize my appreciation for you. Tune in next week for another episode, where we can continue building our legacy and becoming the confident visionary leaders we are meant to be.

Referenced Resources: 

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Related Episodes: 

Episode 195: 3 Things That Take You from Business Owner to CEO

Episode 198: The Rules of Good Mentorship: My $50,000 Mistake & How to Find a Mentor (Part 1)

Episode 199: The Rules of Good Mentorship: Leveraging Mentorship for Maximum Growth (Part 2)