In almost every culture on earth exists the warrior archetype. History considers many to be heroes and dark knights of the righteous. Some lay waste to rival lands, others vanquish their enemies, and there were those quiet giants who made the ultimate sacrifice to save others. It’s difficult to decide if they are forces of good or bad. We tend to regard figures such as Leonidas of Sparta, Hanibal, or Sun Tzu as ideal warriors – wise, strong, courageous, undefeatable, so much so that we tend to overlook the warriors we know best – ourselves. We are the warriors we seek and the leaders we need.
Believe As A Warrior Believes
A warrior’s destruction clears the path for creation. Whether the warrior is real or mythical, they have a mission and a vision. They don’t fight battles and wars for the fun of it. He or she possesses the clarity of mind and heart and are wielders of strategy. And when they meet with defeat on the battlefield, they are not defeated in life.
While we mostly hear of male warriors, female warriors do exist. The warrior archetype isn’t so much about gender, but rather balancing the female and masculine aspects.
These characters sound amazing – conquering heroes and victors valiant (I’m a Wolverine, I couldn’t resist). There is something we have disremembered, though, over time. These people are us; everyone is born with a warrior spirit. The Bible refers to the followers of God as spiritual warriors. In Exodus 15:1-3, the Lord is called a warrior; and followers are to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6. Robert Greene, in his book, The Laws of Human Nature*, describes the warrior spirit, loosely, as aggression. While the word “aggression” has a negative connotation, he explains that, in this case, it’s the instinct to survive and thrive with which we enter the world.
And Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette, author of the book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine*, adapt Carl Jung’s original work on the warrior archetype. Though they focus exclusively on the development of men, the archetypes (king, warrior, magician, and lover) do apply to both men and women.
My point is all of these references speak of how the warrior (among other aspects) reside within all people. We need not look outside of ourselves for a warrior, but rather rise to the occasion.
So if we are born to be warriors and enter the world as warriors, what happens to us to dampen the flame? Life. Over time self-limiting beliefs set in. Those beliefs are formed in three ways – what we’re told, what we see, and what we experience. Our fears and feelings ultimately become our facts if we let them, but not if we believe as warriors believe.
Warriors have a mission, a vision, and live by a code. Set aside what the warrior is fighting for and focus on how the warrior fights. He or she wins the battle of the mind before ever stepping foot on the battlefield. By nature, warriors are in conflict with either themselves, an opponent, or both. Regardless, they don’t shy away from the battle but instead rely on wisdom to discern, the courage to endure, and their code as guiding principles.
What are your values? Stated differently, how do you wish to show up in the world? My values, for example, are loyalty, justice, and courage. My mission is to close the health, wealth, and education disparity gap in America by enabling people to stop waiting and pursue their passion with a plan. My vision is to change the world one dream at a time. I want to see people win.
However, I spent eight years of my professional life stuck in awful jobs. The work itself wasn’t terrible. But I found myself in environments that didn’t value or appreciate me in one way or another. The specifics don’t matter; what matters is how much wait I gained. I allowed it to continue for so long because I was waiting for things to get better, but didn’t take action to make them better.
One day, I reflected on how I used to be so courageous. I would jump into new experiences, learn new things, and challenge the status quo. But at some point, I just wanted to keep my good job, so I became a quiet soldier, and in doing so, I silenced my warrior. And when I got tired of being tired, I reignited my warrior spirit to make the jump and pursue my passion with a plan. It was a messy plan, but it was all mine.
Warriors believe they can accomplish their mission, no matter the odds. They embrace the fear and do it anyway; they prepare, practice, and plan. And, if they fail, they learn. If they die, they’ve lived.
Live As A Leader Lives
We can be leaders in our peer groups, our families, and our communities. A call to leadership isn’t only for executives in the corner office or millionaires. You are capable of everyday acts of leadership.
How do leaders live? The same way as warriors. The warrior pursues their mission and purpose with an almost singular focus. Leaders know the way, go the way, and show the way. They have to take into account everyone for whom they have responsibilities, set the direction and the tone, and be an example for everyone who follows.
I don’t know if all warriors are leaders, but I do believe genuinely great leaders are all warriors. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I intentionally make the distinction between leaders and people with leadership titles. My personal belief is that corporate America has taught us that leadership lies in a system of hierarchy. That to be a leader, you must rank high in an organization. Yet, there’s a crisis of leadership if 75% of people quit their jobs primarily because of their manager.
However, the greatest leaders aren’t so because they were selected to climb the ladder. Great leaders view leadership has a privilege, a responsibility, and an opportunity to create other leaders. Leadership is like oxygen. When executed well, people don’t see it but know it’s there. When poorly done, people suffocate and suffer.
To live as a leader lives don’t wait for your moment, act despite your fear to bring about the change you wish to see. Act without regard for recognition, accolades, and rewards but rather for the greater good in whatever capacity you serve. Be the example, even if you aren’t perfect or ready. And know this, leaders don’t always lead from the front; the best leaders can do so from any position.
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