Yesterday, on the Brussels’ metro, my sister Mary and I talked about what leadership means to her. My sister is from the states, but she’s living in Belgium for the next three years studying at a world-famous circus school. She spends her life training 10 hours a day, practicing handstands, and juggling hula-hoops with her feet. For Mary, leaving her life in Chicago to move across the world was a price she was willing to pay to pursue a path she feels destined to take.
Since leaving the U.S., dozens of people in Mary’s community have reached out to tell her that she’s been an inspiration to them. Incidentally, Mary created a ripple effect for others to take action in pursuing their passions in their own lives.
Mary says leadership is “being a living embodiment of the work you feel called to do, even if the vehicle to get there hasn’t been created. That means recognizing that you have the power to say how your life goes. Even if it seems uncertain or scary, you keep going.”
For the first time, being a leader is no longer optional. Success is no longer guaranteed by following the traditional system. Instead, for the millennial generation, success comes by choosing yourself first and by choosing to create meaningful relationships.
One example of this is Gerard Adams, the cofounder of Elite Daily, an online news publication for millennials. Gerard decided to turn his 19-year-old intern into the CEO of the company and, together, and with his two other cofounders, they grew Elite Daily to a site with 80 million monthly readers in just three years. Last year, Daily Mail acquired it for $50 million.
Listen to this week’s podcast episode where Gerard shares the secret behind how he did it.
Gerard says, “Leaders create leaders.” He believes we all have a story to tell, we all have something to offer each other and something to help each other grow. His mission is to help others cultivate their passion and motivate their spirit.
He has spent the last 12 months committed to this mission. He’s traveled the globe in search of today’s leaders so that he can share their stories with the world. By showcasing examples of leaders leading people, he believes others will turn around and lead in their own life too. Gerard is sharing the first of these stories in his web video series, “Leaders Create Leaders,” which launches tomorrow.
Gerard believes this generation can and will be the best generation of all time. If you want to own your own business, launch an app, travel, become an artist, you can starting today. Millennials are a generation of entrepreneurs whether you are working for yourself or a company. The way he sees it is “every entrepreneur has their moment when they go from being an admirer to a leader.” Making that transition is vital in navigating the world today.
Here are three reasons leadership is the most important skill you can master:
Reason #1: Your Success Depends on It
We are no longer rewarded for following the system. In today’s working world, you must learn to think for yourself. By taking initiative, you can become an entrepreneur of your life. In fact, you must. As Gerard says, it is “0% luck, 100% hustle.” The model is changing; you will thrive only when you cultivate the ability to step outside that past prescriptive model for a life and business. Success is the reward for those with the ability to recognize that there is no longer a set route — you create it.
Reason #2: We Live in a Relationship Economy
People are the new currency. “Return on Relationship” or ROR has become the new ROI. In order to achieve success, you must learn how to cultivate relationships and empower the people around you. The key to empowering others is to first lead by example. Learn the 5 Ways To Profit From Growing Your Personal Network and hone the skills that you might not yet..
Reason #3 The World Needs You
In 2016, we are faced with global problems with an urgency like never before. With 7 billion people on the planet, the earth’s resources are under immense strain. For the first time in history, a small group of everyday leaders can make a difference in the lives of billions of people. Mastering how to lead is crucial now. Will you become a leader among them?
To win a free 1 hour consulting session with Gerard Adams to take a deep dive into your vision, strategy, and mindset subscribe to the podcast here and then enter to win by following this link. Gerard has made this offer exclusively to Unconventional Life readers and listeners.
This Article was originally published on Forbes.
