Before You Lead...

"A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves."

As I scroll through my facebook page, I see memes with inspirational quotes from inspirational people and that brings a smile to my face. As I scroll down further, I see more posts by the same people who posted the memes condemning those who choose not to think, live, or believe the same way they do. Many of these people seem to have taken on a self appointed roll of leader/guru/yogi. Although it is admirable that as they find enlightenment, they desire to share it with others, it is unsettling that they feel that the "truth" that they have discovered for themselves is the only truth for everyone.

While truth can indeed be a powerful weapon in many situations, it tends to do its own work and doesn't need to be brandished like a billy club. There are many truths in the universe and what may be true for one person, may not be true for another. For example, a California resident may find a vegetarian lifestyle to be true for him, whereas a resident of rural Alaska may not.

I have found that for me, the best spiritual leaders/teachers and leaders/teachers in general have been the ones who have taught and empowered me to seek, learn, and find my own truth, thereby enabling me to grow. I think the goal of leading should be to create more leaders and the goal of teaching should be to create self sufficiency. The ultimate goal should be growth in any case. But people grow and learn in different ways and at different paces.

Before I became vegan, a community of people I had frequent discussions with bombarded me with criticism for being a carnivore, telling me that my lifestyle was out of line with who I claimed to be. I of course took offense because they didn't really know me and they were forcing their definition of who I should be upon me. My choice to become vegan years later ultimately had nothing to do with their reasoning. As I grew and changed, so did my choices and lifestyle. I was ready to find my truth.

We must remember that the "truth" is all of us, but our experiences and backgrounds may color the way we express that truth. Bashing someone over the head with "the truth," and condemning those who choose not to follow it only leads to resentment and resistance. If what you are trying to create is a league of people who mimic your lifestyle, then you are no different from those whose lifestyle you despise. If what you are trying to create is a humanity of free thinkers who live in a way that benefits everyone, why not try enabling them to find their own truth within themselves. Lead by example, not force. Peace and blessings