Joy & Sadness.

"It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference." ~ Tom Brokaw.

What is the thing that elevates leaders to experience their greatest joy and what is it that drives a stake through their heart and saddens them to their very core? What causes a leader to close their eyes at night and smile as they drift into blissful sleep? ~ Or lay awake tossing and turning in agonizing defeat and despondency?

I've worked with a few leaders, admired, read about, and humbly attempted to understand what makes them tick. Ive spent over half a century trying to learn from some pretty awesome men and women and all I can come up with is a common feeling. ~ A sentiment shared.

Joy and Sadness come from a simple question asked during the quiet solitude of introspection ~ "Did I Make A Difference?" When we feel we've made a difference in someones life we smile with unbridled joy. When we've made no difference. When we've made no impact or not influenced someones life for the better it's sad. It's then we feel like complete and utter failures. Leadership is influence after all.

So what rules do great leaders keep in mind as they strive for more joy and less sadness? ~ What do the very best leaders advise?

"Be The Change You Want To See " - We are only true to the gift, privilege and responsibility of leadership when we lead by example.

It's A Today Thing - What we did yesterday or are going to do tomorrow always defers to what we are doing now - Make A Difference Today.

Never Give Up - Keep going even when failing miserably. We can only experience the next joy by keeping going. The next person and next opportunity may be the one that makes a difference. The next joy makes up for the last sadness. ~ Never, Ever, Give Up.