Leaders: Persistent Despite Obstacles

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit“

~Napoleon Hill

The following excerpt from an article on Think Simple Now was so well worded, I thought I would simply pass it on to you adding just a few of my thoughts:

In some of his speeches, author Jim Rohn often talks about the ant philosophy. Ants are remarkably persistent. If an ant is on its way somewhere, and you place your thumb in its path, the ant instinctively tries to find another way. The ant will try to go over, around, and sometimes through any obstacle. Giving up is never an option.

Have you ever seen an ant come across an obstacle, stop and quit as to say, “Why are things always getting in my way”? Instead, the ant believes that there is a way to continue on the path and it works until it finds it.

When things get tough in our lives, we have to adopt the ant philosophy. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, and letting the obstacle win, we must attempt to find another way to get on the right path. We must be persistent until we reach our destination. (from Think Simple Now)

You can read the rest of the article if you want, but I'm really only talking about this little "parable." Ants are persistent despite obstacles.

Some see obstacles and try pushing through anything that comes their way, certain of how they're getting to where they're going, often facing conflict and frustration. Others see obstacles and redirect their path, letting their situations and circumstances dictate where they go. I know there have been times I feel more apt to 'let things happen' rather than 'make things happen.' I'm not talking in absolutes here, because I think there is value in both approaches, letting and making, but it seems a leader is one who achieves a balance between the two.

A leader has a clear, compelling vision for where people need to go, and passionately, relentlessly pushes to make things happen in the pursuit of the vision. And if you believe that vision is a God-given vision, that should be even more motivating to accept nothing but pursuit of that vision. At the same time, a leader must also be aware of what's happening and changing around them, flexible enough in strategy to go "over, around, and sometimes through any obstacle."

In other words, a leader must hold tight enough to the vision to push to make things happen, and hold loosely enough to plans and strategies to adapt to obstacles that come up.

Some people are naturally pushers; outspoken, driven people who push their thoughts and opinions and influence. Others are naturally reactors; people who flexibly respond to situations and circumstances as they come up. I think real leaders have both an unwavering commitment to a vision and the sensitivity to environment and obstacles to adapt the path that achieves the goal.

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