Leader vs. Ruler 👑

 Knowledge Is Power.

    Always the same sentence, over and over again. Knowing how to accomplish certain things in life is the key to unlocking your true power. Imagine somebody who doesn’t know how to connect their apartment up to the internet. How can that person unlock the internet to better advance their own interests? The answer is simple- they can’t. Knowing how to accomplish certain things, as well as when to look for help, is a valuable key.

    Moving forward, we all must come to the realization that we are solely responsible for the progress we do or do not make. We must be the ones who understand that there is nobody responsible for our success or failure other than ourselves. We must become completely responsible and accountable for everything in our lives, from A to Z. No one else will help us in accomplishing and creating the path we so wish to walk on. We must be the ones who pulls our boots up and does the work ourselves. Only then, once we have mastered the art of accountability, can we truly begin our life’s journey.

    Everybody wants to reach the top. Everybody wants to wake up, and be the king of the world. The truth is, very few are actually willing to do the work. Very few are willing to do what is necessary, in order to achieve the crown. Heavy is the head that wears it. Strong must be the spirit which embraces the role of the supreme leader. The ability to stand up and take charge, facing all of our problems head-on. The skills and abilities which are required to stand up and make an actual difference are not those which can be learned lightly. Failure and suffering are necessary, in order to learn how to rule.

    Wishing for an easy life will guaranteed one to never develop the necessary skills in which one must employ in order to succeed. The like of the king who has never faced a challenge is unlikely to accomplish much. Those who have never seen battle, do not tend to be fit to lead an army. It is only those, who have seen the blood, sweat and tears, which are the most capable. Those, who have ventured to hell and back, who understand the true pain of consciousness. Only those who have gone through extreme hardships, are the ones who are capable of leading their men towards victory.

    Do you wish to be a ruler? Or do you wish to be a leader? The two are a very different thing. The ruler is the one who sits behind the army, demanding that the men follow his orders. The leader is the man who stands in front of the army, asking that his men follow him into battle. The two lead to very different outcomes, creating very different power structures within. The ruler may have fear from his men, but secretly, deep down, they hate it. Fear will allow them to do what is necessary, however fear will never push them to go beyond. The leader is a man who is loved by his fellow soldiers. A man, in which those he fights for would be willing to lay down their lives for his. The love they share for their leader creates a bond between the men, something that a ruler can only ever dream of. This bond, when applied correctly, can conquer the world ahead of them.

    A prime example off the top of my head is Alexander The Great. Arguably the greatest leader of all time, Alexander was capable of inspiring his men to leave their homes and embark on a tremendous journey throughout the land, both known and unknown. His men followed him into countless battles, as they prepared to lay down their lives and die in order to help Alexander accomplish all which he sought to conquer. The soldiers did not see a ruler, who would sit behind his army and direct their every move. Instead, they saw a leader, who would charge towards the enemy, being first in line to meet the conflict head on instead. The boldness and bravery of their leader, allowed the men to feel invincible by his side. They allowed their love and admiration of their leader to inspire them, pushing them to the furthers edges of the world at the time.

    Moving forward in life, one must come to the difficult decision of who they wish to be. Do they wish to be a ruler, much like Stalin, much like Xerxes, much like countless men who have come before them. Or do they wish to be a leader, a man like Alexander, a man like Achilles, a man who charges towards the conflict and inspires instead. The choices we make in life are direct reflections of who we are and what we hold within. The ability to create change, through our own actions, is something which very few can understand. Learning who we are, and who we wish to be, is the key to unlocking whatever is necessary within to become the men we wish to be.

    When facing your next challenge, ask yourself- who are you? Are you a ruler? Are you an individual who will simply sit there, and point out to their soldiers what they must do in order to achieve your own aims? Or are you a leader, an individual who will take charge and attack the situation head out, inspiring those behind you to follow your lead? The question is simple, yet the effects are tremendous.

The ripples of our actions, continue to float across the plains of time.

Which effect do you wish to lead?

        Glory Be,

                    Amen.