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LEADERSHIP IS A PROCESS OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE, WHICH MAXIMISES THE EFFORTS OF OTHERS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A SHARED GOAL.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Philosophy of Life

Do you have a philosophy of life, for yourself? Could you describe your philosophy to someone else, in 25 words or less? 

We were talking with a group of business leaders recently, and we asked the group to raise their hands, if they had a philosophy of life. Everybody raised their hands. Then we asked them if they could write it down in 25 words or less. Only two hands went up. Surprised? We were not.

You see, while each of us probably does have a core philosophy to live by, very few of us could describe it to another person. We don't take the time to write it down. Words, whether on paper or in an electronic file, put substance to our beliefs. The words provide a touchstone that we can go back to, when life presents us with difficulties.

Our behaviour, every day, is a reflection of our beliefs. It is the way human beings are built. No matter what we might say, it is our actions that reflect our core beliefs, our philosophy of living. Everything that we do flows from this philosophy. If it doesn't, that is where stress and anxiety can be found.

Now you may ask, "If I write down my philosophy, what happens if things change, if I change? Do I doggedly follow my 'philosophy'?" That's the beauty of writing things down - the words can be crossed out, erased, and re-written! We are all going to change over time, as we learn the lessons that living teaches us.

So, we will ask this again: Do you have a philosophy of life? Can you describe it in 25 words or less? This weekend, we challenge you to find some quiet time for yourself, and to create your own philosophy - and write it down. 

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