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Leading By Example

Perhaps the most powerful idea that I've been struck by in recent years is Jordan Peterson's central ideology; the key to a better society is better individuals. As an individual this is a straight forward, albeit work intensive task, improve yourself. But for me it has yielded significant results. 

When I became the captain of the swim team in High School, I was one of three captains. We all had different leadership styles and after some thought I realized what mine was. Leadership by example. I'm not overly extroverted, particularly articulate, or all that inspiring, but I can work hard and maintain a high level of consistency. People see the success that comes from sustained effort and they emulate it. Humans are mimetic as Rene Gerard pointed out, and not just with emotions but also behaviors. 

I saw the same phenomenon as a consultant on a business case team in college where I competed globally at Universities. I wasn't the best on the team when it came to putting together power points or opening speeches. I wasn't the strongest at piecing every idea together in a structured way. I was anxious and fearful of public speaking. But I had two things. I had ideas and I had work ethic. The undeniable nature of the good ideas got me recognized and the intense, laborious, grueling effort I put into the speaking portion, solidified my position. I didn't get involved in team drama. I didn't get involved in interpersonal conflict. I didn't let losses affect me. And as a result, I was the youngest member of the team for my first year, and I attended 3 competitions, only surpassed by a handful of members in the team's history. 

Finally, I've seen this leadership by example manifest itself at work, and an event today is really what inspired the idea for this essay. My coworkers claim that I'm an undercover agent in the CIA because I don't leave anything at my desk at work, I rarely speak about my personal life, and I have no permanent mailing address. But what my coworkers see from me is someone who works hard. The one thing I will engage with coworkers on is fitness. They see the effort I've put into my physical fitness. I've connected with multiple colleagues on this topic. One female coworker has showed me her journey to get back into shape by sharing before and after pics, meal plans and workouts. Another coworker will sometimes run with me, and continues to progress in his running pace each time we run together. 

Today, a coworker came to my desk to inform me that a year ago he got on high blood pressure medication. He was 293 lbs. Today he is 245 and his doctor told him he can begin to get off the medication and wean off to 0 in no time. His goal is 215 lbs. He was excited to tell me, and he chose me to tell out of an office full of people. As Jordan Peterson has said, when you are genuinely happy for people when something goes right in their life, they will come back to you time and again to let you know things are going right. I am genuinely happy for him. 

It's funny that I have become the fitness guy in many circles. I'm the fitness guy at work. I was the fitness guy at college. I'm the fitness guy in my friend group. And while some people know of my history, most don't. If they did know, I'm not sure they'd see me in that light. But coming back to this idea of leading by example, that's why I think I've become the "fitness guy." They see my consistency. They see my pre-packaged meals. They see my electrolyte drinks. And they see the callouses on my hands.

Taking it back to the beginning; a society is just a collection of individuals. If you are unhappy with society then you are ultimately unhappy with individuals. Therefore, if you improve individuals then you improve society. No matter how hard you try, it's very difficult to improve other individuals but you can improve yourself, and in doing so you improve society. So, we should strive to improve ourselves if we want to improve the world. And by being better versions of ourselves we lead by example, which causes others to improve. Which causes the world to improve. 

That's Jordan Peterson's entire message. Life is complicated. The arrangement of individuals into groups and communities and corporations and systems is complicated. You are complicated. But the one thing you can impact is You. So improve yourself and you will improve the world around you. And if you do that, you may just lead by example and get others to do the same.

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