Leadership in all Aspects of Life by David

Leadership in all Aspects of Life by David - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leadership skills are fundamental in the pursuit of collegiate success. A student must be willing to work within the parameters of several dynamic systems to learn and develop ideas that are lucid and original. My initial and primary stand is in making a decision to be committed to excellence and consequently I lead others around me to take such a stand for themselves. My aspiration calls others higher. The greatest device to bring about change in the world around me is inspiration. I must begin by generating enthusiasm about the concepts I am digesting and my excitement and commitment will be the essential ingredients in motivating those around me.

Every aspect of my life is an exercise in leadership. As I grow in my aptitude to first state my own values, I am then better able to align my action and intention. This is how I grow in my ability to influence others. Self esteem is the hidden charisma that animates the human ability to inspire others. Self assurance comes from doing things worthy of my own esteem regardless of how I feel. Because feelings are not a reliable test for reality, I stay committed to my ideals and take action. This is great leadership. It lies in our commitment to our values and the action that follows. This is how I actively change the world around me and call others higher.

What I gain in the pursuit of an academic degree is the privilege to take what I have learned into the world around me. In the quest of a career in the arts, I have frequently had to work against the mythology of the lunatic and penniless artist in justifying my choice to the world around me. I am here to take a stand for all artists that a life of wonderful happiness, financial prosperity and creative expression are completely accessible. I simply state what I am committed to and the world around me reacts to my commitment. This is the magic of the power of attraction. I take a stand for those around me and am enlivened through the act of giving all that I have gained away. There are no trade secrets I will keep to myself.

Technology and the internet have made it so easy to expand the scope of my leadership while at the same time tracking its efficacy. As a visual artist, I am able through the use of social media to observe and respond to global trends and influence and shape a body of media to use in refining and sharpening my own influences and inspirations. In the age of like culture, this aspect of the student exchange cannot be ignored. By managing and paying close attention to my social media presence, I am able to grow my business, increase my influence and forge relationships that will be professionally beneficial.

By placing myself in an environment of healthy competition, I am sure to create my own best work. Through conversation and human interaction, I am able to contribute to the work of other students and faculty in a meaningful way. I hold my peers to account to stay committed to their own best work and in so doing ask for their coaching in keeping me loyal to my ideals.

I take a stand for the things I value about the course of study I have chosen because I must be certain that those around me fully comprehend the information. I give away what I commit to understanding and freely because the human exchange among students is where the bulk of the learning takes place. Because it is often more challenging to identify growth in oneself, the development of academic friendships allows for the opportunity to see growth in others which is the necessary fuel in powering the learning process. In giving to the world around me, I benefit and grow myself. The pursuit of excellence is not a solitary one but an interactive activity.

The reason people still remember and talk about Gandhi and Martin Luther King or Princess Diana is because they were willing to risk their own reputation for the sake of what mattered most to them. There is so much power to the idea brought into the world by Gandhi to be the change I want to see in the world. It is easy to notice the deficit and difficult to take a stand and stay committed to the desired change in any system. People criticize what they fear in themselves. It is my duty as a human being to bring my highest values with me everywhere I go because this is great leadership. This is the greater work needed on the academic level and the greatest work that I will carry outside of the university and into the world.