Even the most visionary leader, committed to a purpose that excites and motivates them, can get bogged down and tired: churn among team members, an unexpected illness, a downturn in the economy, or a challenge on the home front all make focus and longevity difficult.
But if we’re fortunate we’ve got four or five decades of good work to do. So how can we stay inspired over the long haul? How do we put fuel into the leaky tank of our own motivation?
Follow the Reader
One very simple strategy is to keep reading (or listening, or watching if audiobooks and video are your thing).
Call it continuous learning if you must, but the point is to refresh your perspective on the regular by grappling with new and better ideas than the ones you’ve got rattling around in your head. This is so basic, it seems almost silly to write. We already believe it in theory. Will we practice it?
Like a tree long kept in the same pot, we’re apt to get root-bound and suffocate if we remain in our particular ruts. We need to actively acquaint ourselves with wisdom and insight we don’t possess.
Super Texts and Ancient Wisdom
I remember Jeff Boersma bringing up the importance of regularly interacting with, reading, and listening to “Super Texts” from the great religious and philosophical traditions as a way of watering our root system. It’s an idea taken from Steven Sample’s Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, and I think that’s just right.
Modern leadership books absolutely have their place in the rotation, but we want to avoid chronological snobbery, trusting that our ancestors knew something of the human condition that we would do well to grasp.
For my part that has meant leaning on the Book of Common Prayer over the last several years, learning to pray ancient prayers from eras of history much different from our own. More recently, I picked up a copy of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Ironically enough, Marcus Aurelius was a great persecutor of the early Christian church whose prayers I’m reading(!), but there’s much in his stoicism to appreciate and apply, particularly as it relates to the power of our thoughts to shape our reality. Just a taste:
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Finding Meaning in Work to Stay Inspired
Let me share two short passages from books on my shelf that have inspired me recently to consider anew the purpose and meaning of my own work and leadership.
First, designer Alan Moore observed the founder’s of Blitz Motorcycles (pictured at top), and had this to say on loving our work, and investing our best in the things we create:
“Investing in loving what you do always costs time, money, and sometimes the odd scar and bruise. It repays that love with personal satisfaction, and in turn it inspires, guides and nurtures the spirit in others.
“If we invested in more things that give us a meaningful life, our world might feel a little different. And our work might even outlive us.
“As a good friend said to me, ‘Invest in love, it pays well in the end.’”
Second, novelist and theologian Frederick Buechner on moving beyond a paycheck to find meaning and enjoyment in our work:
“‘What does a man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?’ asks the Preacher (Ecclesiastes 1:3). If he’s in it only for the money, the money is all he gains, and when he finally retires, he may well ask himself if it was worth giving most of his life for. If he’s doing it for its own sake––if he enjoys doing it and the world needs it done––it may very possibly help to gain him his own soul.”
Inspiration in a Living System
One final thought, (and an invitation), a leader’s attitude will play an outsized role in the living system he or she leads. We define a “living system” as any group of people connected through shared emotional patterns, behaviors, and norms. When one part of a system shifts, the whole system feels it. And individuals and groups often perceive uncertainty as a threat and react accordingly.
If you show up drained and battered, that exhaustion ripples across the system like the trembling strands of a spider’s web. Overwork, burnout, and negativity can become normalized.
Alternatively, if you show up inspired and invigorated with the insights of poets, philosophers, artists, and prophets on your mind and lips, that too has a cascading effect upon the people you serve and lead. Your attitude can help to lift everyone’s eyes toward the horizon you’re chasing.
Inspiration, beauty, and meaning can be normalized too.
Join us for a Living Systems Workshop
On July 15 at 3pm, Leading by DESIGN founder, Rodger Price will be leading a limited (free), on hour in-person workshop at our Grand Rapids office exploring the concept of Living Systems. The aim is to give leaders practical tools to lead more effectively, especially when their team is facing stress, complexity, or uncertainty.
There are just 12 spots, so if you’re interested in exploring this concept and learning about our upcoming LEAD 24/7 cohorts, simply send Kendall an email to let us know you’re interested in joining us. We’ll confirm your spot via email too. Refreshments (on us) will follow the workshop at Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids.
Finding Your Own Inspiration
How about you? What wells do you draw from to find your inspiration and refreshment as a leader?
And how have you seen your attitude, whether inspired or exhausted, impact the living systems of which you’re a part?
Image credit: Blitz Motorcycles.
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