I loved the quote "what you do proves what you believe." You can talk all you want, you can plan until your brain turns blue with thinking, but if you do not DO anything you cannot convince anyone that what you are doing is worthwhile. Something I noticed is that followers come when there is ACTION. Action they can see, feel, touch, or in some way notice. Action in your own mind--i.e. brainstorming, dreaming, etc.--is wonderful, but it will not yield fruit unless you act on it. Like this quote from Frank Tibolt:
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."
Paired with these words by Brendan Francis, "Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action."
It becomes obvious to the reader (and aspiring leader) that if you do not get up and dance, no one will come. Or someone else will start the movement YOU planned and they will take over your dream and you will miss out on crucial growth and opportunities. This is why RISK is so important; even though it hurts, even though it makes you vulnerable, risk is crucial. We need to be brave and "Keep moving forward!" -Walt Disney
My father taught me what it was to take risks; throughout my life he has striven to provide for my family of six, and he has done his best to take care of us. Sometimes that meant he was doing something he didn't enjoy for months or even years at a time; sometimes ideas he had for ways to benefit our family, particularly financially, didn't work out and I know he felt some measure of despair as our situation appeared to continue declining. As a kid I didn't always understand what was going on in his life; I could tell when he was sad, though. And I was amazed time and again (and still am, all the time) that he picked right back up and continued on, focusing upward, towards God and a future he was (and is) still convinced held every possibility he could imagine.
I can't count the number of times I sat down with my dad, frustrated with school, with life, or with myself, only to walk away from our conversation feeling hope for the future. My father embodies Walt Disney's quote of "Keep moving forward," and inspires hope within me whenever I think of all the advice and love he has given me. I think being a father (or mother) is one of the greatest callings to leadership anyone could ever receive, and hope is a keystone in leadership. Paired with the willingness to take risks, hope is one of the most powerful forces in the world.
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