Leaders Battle for Self-Command

True leaders have command of themselves first and foremost.
When they say something will be done, count on it. It’ll be done.

We’re in our fourth installment of the series discussing the battles we all face as leaders. If you need to catch up, go here.

Beyond doubt, one of the greatest leadership qualities anyone can possess is a strength of will. Unfortunately, many fall short in this category; and it appears to be getting worse.

Willpower is defined as the ability
to give yourself a command, 
and then follow it.

How many times have you experienced the phenomenon in today’s world of someone making a commitment and then not following through? Possibly leaving you hanging and not even showing up?

This has become a common occurrence in the workplace, dating, meetings, emails, texts, the list is endless. It’s so common, we’ve even developed a term to describe this phenomenon, “ghosting.” 

As in, invisible.

As in, disappear.

As in, nowhere to be found!

This is so prevalent that Forbes Magazine recently wrote an entire article on it. 

True leaders don’t ghost.
When they tell you they’ll be somewhere, they’ll be there.
When they give you their contact information, you’ll get a response.

Ghosting is not only extremely unprofessional and rude, it’s a neon advertisement of a lack of self-command, integrity, and will.

Let me ask you to be really honest:

  • How many times have you made a commitment to yourself or others and then not followed through?
  • How many times have you justified it in your own mind with your own good stories and excuses?
  • How many times have you not answered your text messages or emails?
  • How many times have you said you would be somewhere or do something and then you didn’t do it? No show, no call?

I could go on, but you get the point I’m sure.

The greatest promise you’ll ever keep is a promise to yourself.
It’s your own personal test of integrity.

Now look, I’m super busy. Just like you. 

I’m at least as busy as you, if not busier.

I get it. But what I also know is true Leadership is doing whatever it takes to follow through on what must be done.

The first time I emailed Daymond John of Sharktank, I received a response from him at 9PM my time PST. He lives in New York which means it was 12AM his time.

When I emailed Seth Godin the first time, who is also East Coast, he returned my email in less than 24 hours.

Need I say more?

Your current lifestyle is most likely making you weak.
What has to happen for you to seek out the hard for the strength it builds?

You see, the leaders of the future do the hard. 

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

At minimum, they do the things that others don’t do.

At maximum they seek out the things that are hard. Not because they’re masochistic, they just know, like a good workout in the gym, it’s doing the things that hurt and are hard, that bring more strength.



I do my best to do something uncomfortable and hard every single day:

  • Cold showers (all the way to full blast cold)
  • Cryotherapy (3 minutes in shorts only at -240 degrees)
  • Saunas
  • HIIT training (high intensity intervals. Going to max failure and then stopping only long enough to allow my heart rate to come back down)
  • Pushing my body to failure with weights in the gym (and often working circles around guys half my age)
  • Doing my gratitude practice every single day. Even when I don’t feel like it and everything seems to be circling the drain.
  • Working on myself and investing in my own expansion, development and growth. Even when the bank account screams “you can’t afford this!”

Regardless of whether we like it or not,
we don’t grow the most drinking fine wine and smelling sweet perfume.
We grow the most pushing the limits of our own comfort.

So, are you ready to step into your real leadership capabilities?

If I can help you go here we have many options and ALL great leaders have a coach.

Be a Leader. Live Your Purpose; and Take Your Power Back!

James