A pessimist complains about the wind, an optimist hopes the wind will change, and a leader adjust the sails to harness the wind. I read this a little while ago and it got me thinking about this life and how true this is of everyone I know. Just like everything else in the world we need them all to make the world go around.
A pessimist will always look for the negative. They will find a problem for every solution and a reason that something will never work. I know people who are pessimists. They have a very important role in my life. They keep me grounded and make sure I understand the negative in the situations so that I examine the situation before jumping headlong into something that will not end up good for me.
On the flip side the optimist will overlook all of the bad believing that it will all work out for the good. They are generally happy people and improve the situation they are in. My optimist friends will keep me striving, trying, throwing caution to the wind because the outcome will be so epic. What could go wrong? In their heart nothing and that is truly a breath of fresh air.
What we all need is a leader. We need someone in our lives to make sure we know there can and will be bad in a situation and we have to get past it. There can and will be good in everything but we can’t be jaded into believing that it will be that way through every step of the process. A leader must possess the qualities of both the optimist and the pessimist.
I have always thought of myself as a leader. I know I have failed at times and leaned more toward being a pessimist but I try to keep in the middle. Here lately I have started to feel like my leadership isn’t enough. I am not the leader I should be. I don’t do all of the things I can or should do. The first time I read that quote it made me see the importance of having a great leader and being a great leader to others. The second time I read that quote I looked at it completely differently. The next time I read that quote I thought of the leader that I follow.
The leader I follow doesn’t adjust the sails to harness the wind, he provides the wind that allows you to move. He places obstacles in your path to allow for growth. He gets you through those obstacles so you know that he will never forsake you. Most importantly he loves you through all of your doubt, all of your fear, and all of your pain.
I will strive to be a better leader here on this Earth because I will continue to follow the great leader. Starting with love. I love you.
bradglenn79 