Bookends…

Great leaders understand humility is what holds them and their teams together. Humility constrains. Humility calms. Humility keeps us looking up; down, not so much.

Great leaders couple great strength with the practice of humility. They see the seeds of pride, arrogance, and out of control hubris before the world does. These leaders fall to their knees and look up gratefully, thankfully, and most importantly, humbly for perspective.

George Washington was twice offered dictatorial powers in America’s infancy. He declined both times. His practice of humility saved our nation from simply going from one King George to another. In January 1800, a month after GW’s death, Henry Holcombe paid tribute to Washington in a sermon that became known throughout the land, according to David Bobb in his book simply titled, Humility. “His boldness and magnanimity,” Holcombe said, were “equaled by nothing but his modesty and humility.”

Build strength, leader. And, bookend your strength with deeply rooted humility. Strength and humility, please. This is why at BTL we have building humility as the second essential immediately following building your strong CORE. Get comfortable with your mirror. Point the thumb. Damn.

Live hard. Love harder…