Last Updated on March 3, 2025
How to Be a World Leader
The world is how it is because of our leaders.
Far too many are leading us into war, destruction, and chaos.
Many loving, kind people are wondering, “What can we do about it?”
We can become world leaders.
Allow me to explain.
The U.S. War Machine
In 2024, I was very upset by some terrible events happening in the world.
Rather than seeking a peaceful solution that works for everyone, The United States government was spending billions of our tax dollars on weapons to kill people in Gaza.
Including children.
In some ways, this is nothing new.
We’ve been doing this for a long time.
On September 11th, 2001, I went to work.
That morning, two planes were hijacked and flown into the Twin Towers in New York City.
It was an awful day for everyone.
We were all in shock.
And I immediately knew what the response would be:
To bomb people who had nothing to do with that attack.
As if more killing would bring back our dead loved ones.
As if more violence would bring about peace.
As the hippie bumper sticker used to day:
“Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity.”
It just doesn’t work that way.
Demonstrating for Peace
So along with millions of other Americans, I joined the peaceful protests against the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
Unfortunately, our leaders did not listen to our desire for peace.
Instead, they killed hundreds of thousands of Afghani and Iraqi soldiers and citizens in our names.
We allegedly went into Afghanistan to bring the people “freedom.”
Even the creators of the movie Team America knew that was bullshit.
And now Afghanistan is run by The Taliban, one of the most repressive groups on the planet.
Trillions of dollars spent and hundreds of lives lost, for what?
Wouldn’t peace be cheaper and better?
Our world leaders are at a level of consciousness where they believe violence is a good solution to our problems.
They are stuck in The Punishment Paradigm.
But I know there is a better way.
And so do millions of other people, who see our shared humanity.
Who see that “the enemy” also loves their children.
I am a World Leader, and So Are You
I don’t want more violence, death, and destruction in my name.
So I’ve decided to become a world leader.
To be fair, I’m not currently leading much of the world.
But you gotta start somewhere.
I no longer follow our leaders into fear and anger and despair.
I no longer “follow” the news into feeling bad about the world.
I refuse to be lead by the world into feeling helpless.
Instead, I have decided to lead the world out of its current state of unconsciousness.
Last week, I wrote this poem / affirmation:
The world does not lead me, I lead the world.
The world does not lead me into war, I lead the world into peace.
The world does not lead me into chaos, I lead the world into clarity.
The world does not lead me into fear, I lead the world into safety.
The world does not lead me into anger, I lead the world into love.
The world does not lead me into despair, I lead the world into hope.
I am not here to be led into darkness, but to lead the world into light.
And no one can stop me.
Leading with Love
In 2024, I let the world lead me.
It lead me into fear, anger, and despair.
It lead me into headaches, fatigue, and other weird body stress symptoms.
Then in the last few weeks of 2024, I decided I had enough.
I started doing 2 hours a day of various meditation and movement practices.
Gradually, I left the darkness and returned to the light.
I got my energy back, my motivation back, my optimism back.
The world has not improved.
Gaza is a wasteland of rubble and death.
The U.S. Government is looking worse than ever.
But that does not matter.
Because the world does not lead me, I lead the world.
And I choose to lead with love.
Perhaps you too, are called to be a leader.
If so, this is your sign.
It’s time to step up, to claim it, to boldly lead in the direction of love.
The world wants your loving leadership.
Whether you lead as a parent, a manager, a coach, or just lead yourself, it’s time to move away from fear and towards love.
Together, we can make the world a better place.
Take care,
~Duff
(they/them)
P.S. If you want to learn how to lead with love, join my Joy of Doing weekly coaching group.
