The Magic of Leadership is Preparation

Anything worthwhile you and I will ever accomplish in our lives is the direct results of how much time we spend preparing ourselves to face the future. And that’s the major difference between leaders and followers.

When I was living in a poor, tiny village in Haiti, I struggled to survive many deadly diseases. Life appeared to me a long winding desolate corridor with no exit signs. The village was very primitive. We had no running water, electricity, or any access to medical care. According to many statistics, I would never live to be—years old.

 My mother was a strong and courageous woman…a daring soul. After she gave birth to me, she felt like her situation would never change unless she made a move. About four months after my birth, she packed her bag and ventured to the City—Port-au-Prince. She left me behind with a woman in the village. It was a very painful separation. But it was her best option.

Shortly after mother left, I became very sick. Lethal diseases such as: Cholera, malnutrition, rickets, and constant indigestion vowed to end my existence. It felt like something on the inside of me was eating me alive.

My stomach was always bloated with parasites. I was very frail and weak. When the strong tropical winds would blow across the village, I used to hold on to a tree so that I didn’t get blown away. Physically I could not go on but my spirit would not quit.

I wanted to know my mother and father. They told me mother went to the city in the hope of finding a job to provide for me. I later found out that I didn’t have a father. He wasn’t from the village.