A takeaway about beautiful minds and gladiators

Actor Russell Crowe once explained how he dealt with tedious media appearances to promote his upcoming movies. He said something like, “The secret of doing well on talk shows is to play a character who enjoys going on talk shows."

One might take this advice as a common phrase, “fake it ‘till you make it.” 

But there’s a deeper, truer, much better way to understand this, and use it. 

Self-undermining thoughts, feelings and discomforts plague actors, and leaders, just like the rest of us. 

Faced with that, we can “fake it” or we can come from a deeper, truer place. We can choose to show up fully engaged, as best we can, no matter what. We can commit to do our work with professional excellence, to exercise choice over circumstance, because that’s who we really are, at our best. 

The real you doesn’t have to fake anything. The real you isn’t fake. The real you is true. 

Real leaders don’t give in to circumstance, they create possibilities. They do it for the challenges they face in the world, and the ones they face in their own hearts and minds. 

Purpose, virtue, honor and service are always more true, and more enduring, than temporary discomfort, fear, irritation, or any self-demoting indulgence in lower standards. 

As a leader, unhelpful thoughts & feelings that stoke fear, insecurity, and annoyance are normal and natural. They happen all the time. They will keep happening. They’re a price of admission to make a difference. 

But being driven or dominated by those things is an additional cost not worth paying. 

Don’t pay more to be your lesser self. 

Don’t play a “character.” Be your better self. 

The minds of leaders, just like ours, often get ugly. But real leaders reach for better. They reach for honor, truth, virtue, discipline and beauty. 

We all have beautiful minds, and the best leaders use that part of theirs. 

We all have inner gladiators, each of ours different, there to be cultivated in our own authentic ways. 

For us as leaders, such capabilities aren’t contrived roles to fake, but true parts of ourselves to build. 

It’s liberating to own and grow good qualities. 

That’s the takeaway:  Don’t pay the “fake it” fee! True you is free.