LEAD WITH INTEGRITY: What Are You Eating? (March/April)

Ethics Matters

March – April 2018

As a child growing up, I often saw signs, public service announcements, and billboards with the slogan, “You are what you eat.” A few years ago, I saw similar media productions promoting milk. The general theme of these ads emphasized the impact food we eat has on our body. Today, I encourage you to consider the same concept for feeding our minds. What are you eating as mental food, and how is it impacting your mind and helping you grow as a leader? Feeding our minds as leaders is critical to leadership, business and personal growth. The stronger our minds are, the more equipped we are to battle the adversity we face in leadership, see the challenges ahead of us, and take advantage of opportunities that come our way. Imagine your mind as a boxer preparing for a championship fight. In the days and weeks leading up to the fight, the boxer can feast on unhealthy foods and desserts. While this diet may be enjoyable, it will not give the boxer the fuel needed to successfully compete in the fight. Imagine that same boxer loaded up on a healthy diet, full of nutrient-rich foods that strengthen his body on a consistent schedule. This “nutrient-rich” boxer will be much better prepared to compete and win. We are what we eat, is part of the story. The full story is we are what we consume, mentally, physically and spiritually. Positive mental food is also critical to the success of a leader. Where do we find this food? It is everywhere, we just have to look for it. I am amazed at how many free articles, videos, books and podcasts exist on leadership, business and other topics that can help leaders grow. A simple internet search can yield hours of worthwhile, good mental food for you to consume. The opportunity for us is to schedule time to consistently feed our minds. Watch a video by one of your favorite speakers, read an article by a renowned expert, or read a book by your favorite, best-selling author. After you do one of these, set a schedule to do more. Be able to answer the question: “What are you eating?” with great pride. As always, Lead with Integrity!