“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
I love this quote. No matter who we are, where we’re from, or the path life has us on, it is possible to achieve greatness. For me, I feel that the greatness I experience in my life has been the experiences I’ve had helping and guiding others to actualize their full potential.
It’s not the only leadership quote that I love, either. There are some words that are spoken in such a way that they touch you at your soul and inspire you to be more than you are. Throughout my life I’ve heard and read different quotes that have struck a chord and stuck with me. To help others find inspiration in these words, I’ll share them with you!
- “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
- Not all leaders see themselves as such. Not all leaders aspire to be leaders. This quote from our sixth President reminds us that it’s not our positions that help lead others but rather our actions that inspire others to look towards us.
- “You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” – Ken Kesey
- This quote illustrates the confusion that many people see between leadership and power. People in leadership positions sometimes assume their roles purely for the power that they perceive comes along with it. However, this quote illustrates the fundamental difference. People with power can just point to things and make them happen; people who are leaders are the one down in the trenches, guiding and showing others the way to make things happen.
- “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” – Rosalynn Carter
- The idea of leading others to greatness is inspiring. However, in practice, being a leader is more often difficult than it is rewarding. It requires you to see more in others than they do and help them actualize their potential, even when they’re resistant to the path.