"What light is to the
eyes - what air is to the lungs - what love is to the heart, liberty is to the
soul of man."
Robert Green Ingersoll
Freedom is the power of self-determination attributed to the
will. It's the quality of being independent of fate or necessity. The power or
right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
Personally, freedom
became more explicitly defined when I emigrated to America at the age of
twenty-nine. I was born and raised in Iran, a beautiful country in its own
right, rich in culture, history, and tradition. Freedom once flourished in
Iran, yet I never experienced it. Iranian leaders failed to fight for the
privilege of freedom for its citizens. Thus, growing up in an oppressive
culture fundamentally shaped and influenced the trajectory of my life and
became the basis of my appreciation for effective leadership.
Living in America,
taught me even more about freedom. I learned the existence of two types of
freedom - internal and external. External freedom is the right to live without
political, social, or cultural restrictions. Whereas internal freedom is the
liberty to think, feel, and believe based on your personal preferences; it's
being unconstrained emotionally.
While in Iran, I
craved external freedom. America has blessed me with every external freedom I
could ever imagine. Although realizing that external freedoms and liberties
were in abundance in this country, something was still missing. I discovered
that few practiced or prioritized their internal freedom. I believe internal
freedom bears fruit to self-awareness and greater awareness of others. It's a
kind of freedom that produces enlightenment and self-value. Nevertheless, this
type of freedom requires intentional and disciplined living. Minister and
author, Michael Beckwith, declares that the gift of self-discipline has the
power to take you beyond the reasoning of temporary emotions into freedom.
Think of how
empowering it feels when you persevered through the "I don't feel like
it" syndrome and honored your commitment to yourself. Liberation from
procrastination is one of the greatest deeds you can perform for yourself. The
combination of love and passion for something with the willingness to practice
discipline results in your internal freedom.
As a leader, I believe
practicing both external and internal freedom requires self-conscious
discipline. America provides immense freedom. I am intrigued by whether others
appreciate this profound gift. I've contemplated many questions such as: how
should a leader utilize and optimize his or her freedom? How does one render
value from his or her freedom?
In response to these
inquiries, I've summarized four significant ways a leader should utilize their
internal freedom to optimize power, potential, and potency. External freedom is
given, but internal freedom is gained.
1) Use freedom to
practice your core values. Freedom is a generality in this country but infused with
your core values; it gains a personality. Not wavering in your core values in
the face of infinite freedom proves your strengths, abilities, and
self-control. Core values come from your faith, beliefs, family, upbringing,
and history, and they vary amongst individuals. Maintaining your core values
amidst tremendous freedoms solidifies the ground you stand on and simplifies
making difficult decisions.
Freedom with
boundaries seems like an oxymoron, but its necessary. Real leaders know their
limits, and it's through their core values that boundaries are both implemented
and built. Infinite freedom without definition from one's core values never
holds value or significance in one's life or history. Core values define your
freedom.
2) Use your
freedom to think, create and grow. Freedom transforms success into significance. When you
pursue and strive for success, leading a life of significance becomes
automatic. My freedom facilitates growth and the opportunity to pursue all that
I desire. When I overflow with personal growth and development, I can offer my
help and be of service to others. A genuine leader sets an example. Appreciate,
cherish and optimize the opportunities freedom gives you. Maximize all the
advantages and blessings freedom provides you.
3) Use freedom to
liberate your mind.
Freedom should not only liberate you and bless you externally but internally as
well. What is a man who is liberated physically but held captive by his mind?
As a leader, my most significant tool is my mind; with the right mindset, I am
boundless. I have learned that true freedom ignites internally, then manifests
externally.
Case in point, a
friend of mine used to be in a gang. Even though his body was free, his mind
and soul were held captive. He followed the wrong leaders, made wrong decisions
and lacked control over his life. Charged as an accessory to murder, he spent
years in prison. While incarcerated, he practiced intentionality and
self-discipline. He met a pastor who introduced him to a different kind of
freedom. Although living behind bars, he was released from the prison of his
mind when he gave his life over to Christ. He was liberated and experienced a
new more powerful form of freedom. His internal transformation set him free.
We often go through
life as prisoners - enslaved to our minds, thoughts, and emotions. A human
brain is a powerful machine. With a liberated mindset, the internal freedom
that's experienced results in external freedom too. Don't be a prisoner of your
mind, lean not on your understandings, seek His wisdom and freedom will be
gained.
4) Protect your
freedom. With freedom comes responsibility. You should feel a personal duty to
protect your freedom at all costs. Freedom is a precious gift that offers many
blessings. As a leader, stand up, even if you have to stand alone. History
shows if you don't protect and cherish freedom, if you don't fight for it, it
will be taken away from you. A leader protects freedom by all means necessary.
As a leader, it's my
responsibility to protect freedom, share its blessings and add value to others.
Freedom isn't free.
Throughout history, leaders, heroes, and martyrs have paid the price for our
external freedom. Christ paid the ultimate price for our internal freedom. He
was the ransom for our self-invoked captivity. He set the example of how to
gain internal freedom. As a leader, you must ask these crucial questions:
o What am I
doing with my freedom?"
o Am I
utilizing and optimizing my internal freedom?
o Am I
living by adding value and creating a legacy?
"Freedom is what you do with what's been
done to you."
Jean-Paul Sartre
I also would like to
add a note to say Thank You to our Veterans! Appreciate your service and all
your sacrifices! You deserve our deepest respect and admiration. You are
truly the defenders of our freedom.
Farshad Asl Top Leaders News Top Leaders Academy
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