The Seven Pursuits of Leadership

Dan Rockwell

You may grow weary of a life of pursuit but what’s the alternative?
Spend yourself in pursuit or waste yourself in ease. Fatigue from pursuit is the noblest form of exhaustion.

“At its essence, leadership is pursuit…” Mike Myatt

Achievement is never as satisfying as pursuit. After attainment comes more pursuit or grow lazy and unfulfilled. Achieving your dream is joyful sadness.

Pursue the pursuit.

Achievement as an end gives birth to complacency or despair. But, pursuit gives meaning to the journey.

Restless:
Pursue that which is elusive. Be single minded about pressing forward but be sure you know what direction is forward. Uncertainty gives vitality to pursuit.

Leadership requires restlessness.

Six foolish pursuits:

1. Ease.
2. Power.
3. Authority.
4. Wealth. Life consumed with getting ultimately collapses on itself.
5. Success.
6. Conformity.

Seven pursuits of leadership:

1. Clarity or fog prevails.
2. Creativity or the mundane.
3. Talent or isolation.
4. Change or apathy.
5. Wisdom or chase distractions.
6. Character or lose integrity.
7. Purpose or lose your destiny.

(Adapted from, Hacking Leadership, by Mike Myatt)
Mike’s new book, Hacking Leadership, got me thinking about my favorite leadership pursuits.

1. Service. Those committed to bring value always find opportunity.
2. Development. Grow yourself and others. Develop as you serve. Don’t wait.
3. Curiosity. The future is created in the pursuit of what doesn’t exist.
4. Optimism. Believe hard work, adapting as you go, and persistence pay off.
5. Better. Perfection chokes. Better sets free.

Six tips for the journey:

1. Focus on what you’ve learned more than how you screwed up.
2. Be happy with progress but unhappy with attainment.
3. Control what you can control and let everything else go.
4. Chase rabbits once in a while.
5. Find companions.
6. Think more about where you are going than where you have been.

What are the top pursuits of leadership?
What tips for the journey do you have?