The Leader I Long To Be

Are you a risk taker?  Do you go for broke?  Do you swing for the fences?  Is your motto “Swing big.  Miss big.”  Can you tell people exactly what you think and it doesn’t bother you bit afterwards?  Do you on a moment’s whim just jump on a plane and go to Europe?  If this describes you, let me just say that there is a big piece of me that admires you.

You see, I’m just the opposite.  I’m as vanilla as they come.  If we ever meet face-to-face, here’s what you’ll get:

• I’ve had the same haircut since 1980.
• I only wear blue, black, red, and white.
• Both my cars are paid off.
• Even at 44 years of age, I still say “Yes Sir” and “Please”.
• I never drive more than 7 miles over the speed limit.
• Rarely do I go in debt.
• I waive others through at a four-way stop.
• I’ve stared at the Apple iPad for six months and just can’t bring myself to pull the trigger and pay $600 to get it. 
• I have lived within a 20 mile radius my entire life.

I am a stable human being.  Now there are some very good qualities like reliability, faithfulness, and consistency that you get with this package.  But as a leader and a person, here is some things that maybe I’ll do one day:

1. Maybe I’ll take more risks.
2. Maybe I’ll invest venture capital in a great idea.
3. Maybe I’ll have enough confidence in one of my ideas that I’ll take a chance on it financially.
4. Maybe I’ll take my wife to Alaska.
5. Maybe I’ll go skydiving.
6. Maybe I’ll swim with great whites in a shark cage.
7. Maybe I’ll share my faith more with people who need to experience the love of Jesus.
8. Maybe I’ll have more tough conversations.
9. Maybe I’ll get a trendy haircut and make people think I’m cutting-edge.
10. Maybe I’ll be more vulnerable and transparent.
11. Maybe I’ll be more intentional about building friendships.
12. Maybe I’ll take golf lessons.
13. Maybe one day I’ll dance before the Lord.

Well then again, maybe not.  At least for right now, I’m probably just going to keep playing it safe and long for the day I do something completely crazy.  But there’s still hope for you!!! 

As a person who admires risk takers, take a risk today.  You’ll be glad you did, and I’ll think to myself “That could’ve been me.”  The more I think about however, I might just drive 11 miles over the speed limit tomorrow!!!  One crazy step at a time.

Do wish you took more risks?

To automatically receive future posts on leadership, simply subscribe or click here.