That’s what Emerson meant when he said that “he who should inspire and lead his race must be defended from travelling with the souls of other men, from living, breathing, reading, and writing in the daily, time-worn yoke of their opinions.” Notice that he uses the word lead. Leadership means finding a new direction, not simply putting yourself at the front of the herd that’s heading toward the cliff.
No, what makes him a thinker—and a leader—is precisely that he is able to think things through for himself. And because he can, he has the confidence, the courage, to argue for his ideas even when they aren’t popular.
Courage: there is physical courage, and then there is another kind of courage, moral courage, the courage to stand up for what you believe … true leadership means being able to think for yourself and act on your convictions.
an elaborate excuse to run away from yourself. To avoid the difficult and troubling questions that being human throws in your way. Am I doing the right thing with my life? Do I believe the things I was taught as a child? What do the words I live by—words like duty, honor, and country—really mean? Am I happy? (Answers.) They can only be found within—without distractions, without peer pressure, in solitude - the ability to be alone with your thoughts
Unless you’re able to listen to yourself, to that quiet voice inside that tells you what you really care about, what you really believe in—indeed, how those things might be evolving under the pressure of your experiences.
linked mentions for "courage to think things through for yourself":
principles An ongoing exercise of radical introspection expressed through first-person singular writing, the slash-principles page serves as a fluid document that reflects my evolving truths, beliefs, and principles. Discomfort is not an enemy, it’s a teacher! Each tenet is shaped and refined by the hard choices I make, aligning with my personal raison d'être and ikigai.
Perspective on Psychological Work We often fall into the trap of believing that we are defined by our pasts, that we are our past. The past, however, is merely a construction of the