I read a story many years ago that shaped my leadership success.

A girl was flying a kite with her father, and the little girl asked her father “What keeps the kite up?”, and the father replied “The string.” The girl said “Dad, it’s the string holding the kite down.” The father asked his daughter to watch as he cut the string. Guess what happened to the kite? It came down.

The leadership lesson for me was that the very things I thought were holding me down, were helping me fly. And the one thing that allowed me to find the freedom I enjoy today was – DISCIPLINE. Discipline allowed me to fly … it was my kite string! Along with honouring my Values (which I’ve shared in previous posts).

And the overarching definition of DISCIPLINE that guided me was a quote from Epictetus … “Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of that is desired, but controlling the desire.”

From a leadership success perspective, this is all about the ability to resist impulses, maintain focus, and see projects through to completion. Discipline.

So, what is your ‘string’ that let’s you fly?