Empty yourself.

Resolve that whatever you do, you will bring the whole man to it; that you will fling the whole weight of your being into it.

Orison Swett Marden

Bringing the whole man – or woman – to it is akin to emptying yourself onto that field.

But this is not limited to exertion in a purely physical sense. There needs to be a common mental, emotional and spiritual investment as well.

Like “leaving it on the field”, you need to be ‘all in”. Holding back anything in the smallest measure will onlt breed regret should the attempt fall short. And absolutely no one needs that weight on their shoulders or psyche.

The only fitting way to fling the whole weight of your being into your aspirations is to just let go and empty yourself out.

The affirmation produced by such an action will act to refill you in all aspects.

Perfect.

So you have it within you to do it all over again.

Service.

We are all meant to be extraordinary.

Each of us a masterpiece in our own way, with abilities and talents to be maximized and capacities to be filled. All of which are intended to compliment the whole. For each of us is meant to have an impact. Each of us matters.

From a team perspective, it is leadership’s first mission to grasp this essential truth. For, once you are able to see yourself in this light, then you will be able to see others from this same perspective.

You will then be in a position to solicit their talents and abilities, enriching them as you begin to enrich the whole as well. As you bring their strengths to bear and push them towards the pursuit of excellence, then work can commence on tapping their potential.

That reservoir residing in us all. A reserve that is far more about capacity than it is weakness. The part in us that is meant to be “full-filled.”

Leadership, then, is not merely the act of soliciting that “something” from those around us. Leadership is more so the endeavor of eliciting that something special – the greatness – that lies within all of us.

Through serving them.

Blind.

“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” ― Paulo Coelho

In many respects, when you go about things with “eyes closed” you choose to blind yourself to the reality of the moment.

Seeing yourself not as a work in progress – but as fully complete. Becoming distracted by your past and what you think is yet to come. Believing that a failure – or failures – means total defeat. Misunderstanding the true essence of criticism, instruction and coaching.

In short, your eyes may be wide open.

But lacking focus – you will remain hopelessly vision impaired.

Blind to the reality of the moment.

Unordinary.

“We meet no ordinary people in our lives.”

― C.S. Lewis; Inspirational Christian Library

My mom’s father, Grandpa Cordts, “knew no strangers”.  Whenever I was with him out in public, at the store, getting gas, buying worms or playing putt-putt, everyone within sight and sound seemed to know him. 

That isn’t to say that he or they did.  It is just that EVERYONE he encountered each day, no matter the circumstance, investment or need was approached as a friend.  Someone that went way back. The one in the back row of the picture.  A compatriot. 

Was not aware of it then, but as I go about daily life now, how he went about life left an impression on me.  As it stands, I don’t know any strangers either. 

And when you go about it in that fashion, you cannot believe what you learn.  

Once they recognize that they can just be open, all sorts of things flow out.  Not that they are meant to be sewed all over.  Just that they want me to hear and know it.  Shared as a friend. With trust and an understanding that it was in some sense collaborative, restorative and affirmative. 

And is ain’t all one sided.  You share as well.  In an equally genuine fashion.  Maybe you only see them the next week, month or year.  Perhaps never again.  But they did.  You did.  

And it was something.  

Maybe substantial in certain situations.  Maybe just the spur of the moment.  

But again, if you think about it, not really ordinary.  In all actuality, those chance moments become special.  Not because they were designed that way.  But simply because they were.  

Unordinary.  

Like them.  

And what we – and they – chose to make that encounter to be.  

Unordinary.

Wandering.

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Life is a journey.  

True, there are those of us out there that have known and heeded their calling since they first sensed its resonance within their soul.  They are blessed to be able to step first in that direction and capture a fulfillment of a lifetime.   

And then there are those that need to figure our path out.  Go left.  Right.  Back up.  Stop for a moment and disengage.  Repeat.  Then, head back out.  

Wandering of that sort is not so much about being lost. It is more akin to being open and present. Having the strength to overcome disappointment, despair and defeat.  Possessing the courage and faith to risk, stop, start, restart and then proceed towards that one thing that affirms, reinforces and brings joy. 

All of which is to be found in the process of wandering.  Qualities that may not be possible to attain otherwise.  

Nothing lost about that.  

More so about finding oneself.