Profound Re-Post of the Week

"To Be Authentic Is To Be Imperfect" by Simon Sinek

There is great beauty in that which is imperfect.

The grain in a piece of wood. A bristle of a paintbrush left stranded in a painting. The uneven glaze of a Japanese ceramic cup.

Perfection comes out of molds or off assembly lines. Things made by nature or by hand are imperfect. It is their flaws that make these objects unlike any other of their kind. It is their imperfections that make these things unique and beautiful.

The same is true for people.

It is the blend of anxiety, fear, pain, insecurity and naïveté that makes each person special. Ironically, we try to suppress these feelings, cover them up and compensate in an attempt to appear perfect to the outside world. We put ourselves into quite unnatural positions in hope that others don’t perceive us as we truly are: imperfect.

Authenticity is about imperfection. And authenticity is a very human quality. To be authentic is to be at peace with your imperfections. The great leaders are not the strongest, they are the ones who are honest about their weaknesses. The great leaders are not the smartest; they are the ones who admit how much they don't know. The great leaders can't do everything; they are the ones who look to others to help them. Great leaders don't see themselves as great; they see themselves as human.

Great leaders don't try to be perfect, they try to be themselves. And that's what makes them great.