Everyone who wants to lead has a reason to lead. The best leaders lead others not because of status or fame — they lead because they care about those they serve. Plutarch, ancient famous biographer from back in the day, writes, that the best leaders fear the people in their charge. “They remain vigilant and keep their constituents from harm.” (How to be a Leader, Plutarch). I lead others because I care for and desire to be of service to others.

“Granger stood looking back with Montag. ‘Everyone must leave something behind when he dies’ my grandfather said… Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you’re there.” — Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451Every thing you and I do leaves a fingerprint on the ones we serve. Instead of shooting for the one big thing that you want to be remembered for, aim for the little targets you can hit every day. By the way, I just finished Fahrenheit 451. I experienced a book that could have been written about today. I found the subjects and themes highly relevant. I am glad that I invested my time there.

I think about what I am most scared of often. Why? I believe it’s good to know what keeps you up at night so that you can be ready to confront it should I be attacked. What scares me? The majority.You and I, humans, are easily influenced by the majority. We often adopt the views and beliefs of those who we believe are most like us. What’s scary is that the majority’s ideals are often not rooted in stipulated facts and contrarians to the majority are often not welcomed. I worry about any type of majority exercising power over our ability to think and speak freely. I also worry that we don’t expose ourselves to enough different ideas to challenge our long held beliefs.I may be a worry wort. But I am also a contrarian, and often not in the majority. Interestingly enough, there’s no other place I’d rather be.

Consider that the Grand Canyon (in the US) was formed by a once great river. Scientists speculate that the canyons discovered on Mars were created by ancient rivers and oceans. What is it about rivers? Rivers persist and adapt. If you put your foot in the river, the water would continue to flow around your foot. In the most extreme case that you never remove your foot from the river, the persistent flow of water would erode away the skin. If we live our life with the persistence and adaptiveness of a river, we will become ultra-effective. We will create the metaphorical equivalent of carving grand canyons.

And, how do the people and media around us inform what we should want and should tolerate? The gap between want and tolerate could be vast. That gap can feel exaggerated when you incorporate the views and expectations of others.Perhaps it’s better to stick with what you know you can tolerate. Make that your baseline.

I played 4 gigs this weekend, and started work on a digital marketing strategy for another artist. In all that I did, I saw a through line: people put themselves in a vulnerable position when they ask you to do something for them. When people make themselves vulnerable to you, do not take that moment for granted. Treat the request with the greatest reverence. Do your best to help, and serve.

I love this quote from the movie, The Red Shoes:“Lermontov: Why do you want to dance?Vicky: Why do you want to live?Lermontov: Well, I don’t know exactly why, but… I must.Vicky: That’s my answer too.”Why do we do anything? Why do I write? Because I must. Why do I play? Because I must.Why do I learn ? Because I must.Like a beaver must build a dam, we are driven to do the things that matter most to us. Identify your own “but I must’s”. What are they? Are you doing enough of them?

In the past, I thought every interaction as laden with hidden meanings. Unanswered texts, peculiar glances, and seemingly offensive remarks enraged me. My anger often led to emotional reactions, sometimes I ended friendships. Now, my perspective changed.I learned that life, itself, is devoid of meaning beyond survival. If nothing is threatening my survival, why should I overreact to others’ words or glances? Now, I try to focus exclusively on the present. I seek to make the most of each moment. I constantly remind myself: how can I make the most of what’s in front of me now?The journey, which I am still on, is not over. I am still unlearning bad habits. I practice radical self-accountability the best I can. Your perception of the world is malleable — it’s shaped by our beliefs and and the interpretations of our experiences. If we want to, we can challenge our beliefs and interpretations. If you want to change, start by asking yourself two questions.If I could change just one thing to help me find contentment, what might I change? How might I implement that change into my life right now?For me, I started a practice of noticing walls. I paid attention to how the walls looked. I noticed their texture. I never allowed myself to entertain the question, why was the wall that way. Simple practice. Immeasurable results.HT to The Last Word for the inspiration. Click here for more.

I find that sleep makes everything better. Strained a muscle moving something? Have a good sleep and feel rejuvenated the next morning! Stuck on a problem that can’t work itself out? Go to sleep and let your mind work on the problem for you.Super stressed out and having a bad day? Sleep. How can you be stressed and having a bad day while you’re asleep?If only there was a way to create a sleep-like effect on the mind and body without sleeping…

Just remember that you are the center of your solar system. You control the gravitational force of the planets that orbit you as the sun. And not all planets are Mercury.You must adjust the gravitational force you exert on other people. Sometimes you must use less gravity and keep people (or jobs) at a distance. At other times, you must try to exert a stronger force to pull people closer. You get to decide how much force is used in your solar system.HT to Dr. Mike for the useful metaphor!