WE ARE WHAT WE THINK, AND WE BECOME WHAT WE CONTINUE TO THINK

The spirit of leadership is the state of mind or attitude that emanates from the nature of a leader. There is nothing on earth as powerful as a thought or an idea. We are what we think, and we become what we continue to think. You cannot rise above the plane of your mental conditioning. To change your life, you must change your mind. For now, let’s look at the spirit of leadership from various definitions and perspectives that will help us grasp this vital concept. The spirit of leadership –

·        Is a mind-set.

·        Dictates one’s motivation.

·        Is revealed in one’s response to one’s environment.

·        Is a perception of oneself and the world.

·        Is the convictions that regulate one’s thoughts about oneself and one’s world.

·        Is one’s personal, private philosophy of life.

·        Is one’s thoughts about oneself and one’s environment.

·        Is one’s belief system, which controls one’s behavior.

·        Is the source of one’s actions, which determines the response of the environment.

·        Is how you interpret the world.

·        Is your mental conditioning.

THE SOURCE OF OUR THOUGHTS

As stated above, there is nothing as powerful as a thought or idea, but there is nothing more important than the source of our thoughts. Our thoughts are products of what we have heard or learned. What we derive our thoughts from determines the kind of thoughts we conceive and who we eventually become. If “as a person thinks in his heart, so is he,” then the source from which man gets the thoughts that he thinks is most critical.

Therefore, as we approach this delicate subject of the spirit of leadership, which is essentially the thought-life of the individual, we must carefully consider the process by which thoughts transfer to our lives. The process involves the following:

1.      A source transmits its idea through words or images.

2.      Words heard or images seen transmit thoughts and ideas to our minds

3.      Thoughts conceived become ideas.

4.      Ideas conceived become ideologies.

5.      Ideologies conceived become beliefs.

6.      Beliefs conceived become convictions.

7.      Convictions conceived become philosophies.

8.      Philosophies conceived become lifestyles.

9.      Lifestyles determine our destinies.

A careful study of the above process reveals that the most important component is the source of our thoughts. As a result, our mind-sets, attitudes, beliefs, and convictions are generally determined by someone else’s ideas. It is remarkable that you and I can be living what other people think. Therefore, the key to living effectively is receiving your thoughts from the correct source.

When your philosophy, beliefs, thoughts, and convictions are based on the way you were created to think, you will naturally rule over your environment and fulfill your life’s purpose. When they are based on erroneous thinking and attitudes, you will feel frustrated and trapped by your circumstances. This is, unfortunately, the case for many of us.