IF...........

If...

By Rudyard Kipling, 1895

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream  - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat these two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

I find this a very interesting poem because it applies to many of the Male and Female entrepreneurs I meet (considering it was written in 1895, excuse the bias towards Men:)). Even more importantly, many of these characteristics are what separates true leaders from others. Whether it be leading in your personal life or leading in your professional life, as I meet people day to day, the qualities of leadership is one that is slowly disappearing in our modern, self-centered, instant gratification world (I count myself falling into this trap as well BTW.) Today, well developed leadership qualities are some of the most scarce talents in the workforce. Many try to fake it. Few care enough to have it. And under pressure is when you see the true character of a person.


As I recently wrote to advice on a situation:


Here lies how we build our reputations, not only in our entrance, but also in our exits.


In a modern world where the temptation to broadcast everything is there (ie. just look at the NY times), we truly show our real color not only upon our entrance but also our exits. 


But then again, what do I know, I'm just making my way in this world...