To: the Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
The life of great leaders is beautified and enriched in its continuing rebirths. Boundaries and limits are the cocoons within which they journey. With each one they experience new learning, acquire new eyes that open to discover fresh possibilities, and they dream dreams of what can be beyond what they know. Within each cocoon they enter, they read the haunting words: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” They search and explore the world around them and, most importantly, within themselves, to discover and find answers to the question. It is those beautiful moments that that their freedom occurs. The cocoon no longer can contain them – their dreams, aspirations, passions and purpose push to expand the limits. They release themselves – not by chance, but by choice. And they fly to another world, another cocoon, in which they will grow, struggle and again emerge transformed by their experiences.
In a recent article, The Magic and Necessity of Bringing People Outside of Their Comfort Zones, Jon Katz writes: “Does the butterfly fear leaving its cocoon or exhilarate over the chance to fly? If only humans would exhilarate over the opportunities outside their cocoons/comfort zones.” Great leaders are energized and inspired by the possibilities the world and their life offers. They are the risk-takers and adventurers who live life to its fullest, who dare to challenge the “as is” to find the “what can be.” It is they who choose the struggles of transformation to achieve its great reward. For them, emmersion from the cocoon is not the end of the world, it is the beginning of a new life. As Karen Clark said: “Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.” May you fill your life with continued rebirths and with each, may you find beautiful, powerful and magnificent wings to take you to heights undreamed. Life is so very good.
Michael ReuTER