They Happened to Things

Elinor Smith’s view of life explains her many feats in the pioneering of aviation. Born in 1911, at age 16 she was the youngest licensed pilot in the world. She was still flying when she was almost 90. Smith was the first woman pictured on a box of Wheaties cereal. 

Now, let’s look at the words that summed her life philosophy: “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

We’ve long heard the truth that actions speak louder than words. Great leaders are people of action. They don’t sit back and respond to the situation. Instead, they create the situation. They know that what they do and say, and especially how they do it and say it, creates the reality in which they lead. These leaders happen to things by the choices, decisions, and actions they choose. 

More than anything else, actions define leaders and leadership. Your choices determine your value and worth as a leader. Today is a grand time to happen to others. 

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PS: One additional note - This coming Tuesday, October 12, we are holding our second annual Admired Leadership Community Conference. All the morning sessions are free and open to anyone interested in becoming a better leader. Find out more here. We’d love to have you join us!