16 Quotes on self-leadership

It starts with self-leadership

So much is said and written about leadership, especially in the workspace. What often gets left out though, is that real leadership starts with being a leader in your own life; with self-leadership!

To be a self-leader you have to know who you are at your core, know your core values. You then have to trust in yourself enough to act in a way that’s congruent with those values. You have to act, live in a way that’s true to yourself.

That doesn’t mean you live your life without respect for others. It just means you respect your own as much as you do theirs.

Outside forces

When you’re carving your own path through life, outside forces will do their utmost to convince you there are very important reasons why it’s a bad idea to stick to your values.

That’s when things like overthinking, ‘shoulds’ and more get in the way. Your brain will tell you to go one way, when your gut and heart tell you you to go in the other direction.

Here are 16 quotes to help you stay true to yourself and the path you want walk through life.

1. “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself; do not look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”
   — Bruce Lee
2. “Leadership is not about men in suits. It is a way of life for those who know who they are and are willing to be their best to create the life they want to live.”
   — Kathleen Schafer
3. “There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be non-believers, and then there will be you proving them wrong.”
   — Jennifer Van Allen
4. “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.”
   — Eleanor Roosevelt
5. “Do not wait on a leader … Look in the mirror, it’s you!”
   — Katherine Miracle
6. “Who you were yesterday is not who you are today nor who you will be tomorrow.”
   — Amy K. Hutchens
7. “Self-leadership is about digging out your hidden endowment and making them known and useful to those who need it most.”
   — Israelmore Ayivor
8. “Applying self-leadership implies accepting to be different, that we are each unique individuals with a voice, a body, a mind, and a desire to express it. It is also knowing that we remain connected. We are unique fishes, among many fishes just like you and me. And it’s okay.”
   — Florence Dambricourt
9. “Another person normal does not mean it’s your ideal normal.”
   — Runa Magnus
10. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
    — Brené Brown
11. “First be a leader of yourself. Only then can you grow to lead others.”
    — David Taylor-Klaus
12. “Self leadership requires us to lead and motivate ourselves. But it looks a heck of a lot like schizophrenia during a ropes course.”
    — Ryan Lilly
13. “Mastering others is strength; mastering oneself is true power”
    — Lao Tsu
14. “Being a self-leader is to serve as chief, captain, president, or CEO of one’s own life”
    — Drucker
15. “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”
    — Eleanor Roosevelt
16. “Leadership is a series of behaviours rather than a role for heroes.”
    — Margaret J. Wheatley

As always …

Go dare greatly!

— Gerdi