How Are We Feeding Ourselves?

A friend of mine recently invited me to fly fish a beautiful stretch of river in Arkansas.

All day we wandered up and down the river intently searching for any promising pocket or pool that might hold the perfect fight.  My concentration level was really high, even though the task at hand was recreational in nature.

As we headed back to our car at the end of the day, I noticed I was feeling a little weak.

It was then that it struck me… I had somehow managed to make it through the whole day without eating a single thing.  What was even more interesting to me was the fact that I never felt hunger at any point.  Even at that moment, my revelation produced no tell-tale rumbles.  There is some scientific evidence that distraction can reduce hunger.

When I ask leaders what their job is, their usual response involves their current title or a description of their function.  

In actuality, their job is “Leader.” As a result, they need to invest time and energy learning their craft well.  They need to be a student of leadership and hunger to be the best for the sake of those whom they lead.  Often we find ourselves so distracted by the pull of the everyday, we lose the hunger to improve our craft.  Our success can become our anchor.

Leaders worth following put a greater purpose above their own interests and surround that with people equally energized to the task. 

Doing that well requires a lot of heavy lifting.  It is not enough to possess skills and knowledge. We need to be highly self-aware and invest time understanding what is informing us as a leader and how are we feeding ourselves and those around us.