Are You An Extreemist?

What if I asked another question, "Are you a leader"? In many ways those two questions overlap. The difference often lies in the subject matter. One might consider Genghis Khan or Joseph Stalin as extremists but what about George Washington, Jesus Christ, or Mother Teresa? Did anyone in their life caution them that they were getting a little too extreme? A little on the fringe? People seem to have an innate tenancy to seek safety in the the group. We are herd animals in some ways, which as civilized people manifests itself in philosophical gathering rather than physical flocking together. We find safety in the status quo.
In many ways “conventional wisdom” is an efficient way of sharing common knowledge and tips for living but often it can cripple us by limiting our true potential. We behave like sheep where the group dictates individual behavior, each member acting based on the movement/response of the whole. If you’re a sheep this is actually a good thing because sheep have a pretty limited mental capacity. Alone they can’t make it against a lion or wolf and so they depend on the herd’s behavior to determine when to run, when to eat, and when and where to march. In humans this is manifest in “group think” and peer-pressure. It is very difficult to do something or believe something when your peers do not believe the same way. We do it as a survival mechanism. Although we like to think that we are objective thinkers, somewhere in our subconscious mind we realize how foolish we are and so we tend to doubt our reasoning and intuition. We doubt that we can make the right decisions by ourselves and so we rely on peer-pressure to “course correct” us as we go.
If you are to become a leader you cannot rely solely on others to guide you. When all is said and done, the most important voice you should listen to is that still small voice inside of you called your conscience. There is nothing else you can rely on. If you do, you will find yourself ashamed of who you have become, or more appropriately, who you have not become, yourself.

In my experience, here are some of the top traits that I believe are necessary to be a leader:

1. Immunity to peer pressure. This is by far the most important. People who are worried about peer acceptance more than their inner voice rarely become leaders.
2. Competence. Not brilliance, but understanding your job well enough to get it done. This is much more rare than it might seem. Many people only know enough to get by and don't really understand all the factors that contribute to their role.
3. Responsiveness, lack of procrastination, and an ability to make decisions with confidence.
4. Ability to just get things done. Patience, focus, and ability to keep things moving forward.
5. Passion for your role. You have to really believe in what you do. You have to have an inner drive that pushes you relentlessly.