It’s hard to argue that our leaders are doing a good job. It doesn’t matter what your political persuasion is, you probably feel that your MP, your president, your prime minister, your CEO, your council member is doing a poor job. The UN is proving to be not up to its tasks, the EU, regulatory agencies—there are few legislative or leadership bodies who are exceeding our expectations these days.

On the contrary…

So what do you do? Despair?

The Stoics would say focus on what you control. They would urge you to practice what George Raveling calls the art of “self-leadership.” Or as Ray Kethledge and Mike Erwin titled their great book, they’d say you have to Lead Yourself First. 

As Seneca would say, real power is to be in your own power. He’s talking about getting your own act together rather than bemoaning the fact that other people don’t have theirs together. Practice better habits. Get informed. Manage your emotions. See where you can contribute to your community. 

Lead yourself. Lead your family. Imagine what the world would start to look like if everyone did this. Imagine what an example you could provide by being the first to start the trend.