7 Lessons from the Life of Nelson Mandela

What we can all learn from a life well-lived

On December 5, 2013 the one and only Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95. As the world mourns the passing of one of the great leaders of our time, let us not forget to celebrate his extraordinary life. His life, his words, and his leadership have motivated millions (including myself) to live up to his example of strength, forgiveness, courage, freedom, and dignity.

Nelson Mandela

So, in honor of the man who gave hope to generations of South Africans and inspired many others around the globe to become better people, here are 7 lessons from Nelson Mandela’s life that will endure long after his passing.

3 Huge Reasons Why Leaders Fail To Produce Change

We are having a major crisis in our world today. A crisis of leadership. There exist so few real leaders who are actually producing the changes that are needed to shape our future in a direction that actually benefits us all, that it’s become a dire situation with long-reaching consequences and requires action now in order for our world to have a chance at a better tomorrow.

Leadership Mistake

Prefer to listen to this post instead? Click the play button below:

 

Sure, there are many of those who call themselves leaders today (maybe more than ever) but so few of them are true to the function of that title. They are ego-driven, selfish, and greedy in their attempt to control others for their own personal gain. True leaders are those who are selflessly committed to creating lasting change in themselves for the benefit of others. They inspire the greatness within other human beings and help them do and be more than they ever thought possible.

The mark of a true leader is their ability to create change that lasts. Think about the lasting effects of leaders like Gandhi, Maria Montessori, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lao Tzu, Mother Teresa, and Jesus. These leaders have legacies that have endured the test of time because they were able to create lasting changes in the landscape of humanity that helped everyone get better, and that’s the kind of leadership we need so desperately today.

If you’re a leader then you are tasked with the challenge of making change a reality. But if change isn’t happening for you the way you desire, then take a look at these three huge reasons why leaders fail to produce change. 

You Win Some, You Learn Some

The only losers in life are those who don't learn from their experiences

Being born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, I’ve been a Cardinals baseball fan my whole life. I’ve had the privilege of watching them win the World Series 3 times in my short lifetime – 1982, 2006, and 2011. I’ve also had the misfortune to see them take it all the way and lose in the big series 4 times – 1985, 1987, 2004, and Wednesday night.

You Win Some You Learn Some

It was heartbreaking, for sure, to watch these guys fight to the finish and just not have enough in the tank to take down the Boston Red Sox. It’s always hard to watch someone set out to make their dream a reality and come up short. But, like all great teams, organizations, companies, families, couples, and individuals already know, losing is never the end of anything if you’ve learned something from the experience.

So, when you lose, do you learn from your experience? Or do you just feel the pain of the failure? It might not seem like a life-changing question, but it can mean the difference between giving up on your dreams or making them a reality. 

One Secret To Massively Increase Your Influence Today

Influence. It is something we all desire but few of us master. Something we all want but few of us grasps. To have more of it means that we are able to peacefully persuade others to take action. To have less of it means that we are constantly battling with others to get them to see what we see and often losing.

Increase Your Influence Article

So what if I were to tell you that there’s only one thing you must do to massively increase your influence today? And what if that one thing was so simple that you could change it without any real mind-blowing effort on your part?

Sound interesting? Then read on to discover how to massively increase your influence in every relationship today! 

5 Leadership Lessons From My Visit To Dr. Martin Luther King’s House – Part 2 of 2

In Part 1 of this series, we explored the first two leadership lessons I learned from the life of Dr. Martin Luther King while taking a tour of his old house in Montgomery, Alabama. Today, we’re going to conclude our look into this extraordinary man’s life so that we can continue our own growth into the people of impact and influence we have been made to become.

5LessonsMLKArticle

Here are numbers 3-5 of the 5 leadership lessons I learned from my visit to this revolutionary leader’s former home: