The first act of leadership is to set fire to the outdated labels that keep us small. They served their purpose. Let them die.

The key to embracing this unusual opportunity presented to us? Our focus. Not on what we look at (as convention urges), but what we see. One of the gifts of being human is we get to choose what we see.

Admitting we're wrong is humanizing. It softens us. By admitting fault there's space for connection. But being right can create complication.

When we open up our minds, hearts, and turn our own story over to the world, we create space for others to do the same. Openness magnetizes; inviting connection, softening fear, and building trust.

The Middle Way is not bland compromise. It's more strategic than that; it’s the discipline of pragmatic optimism. It means holding a vision for a better future while staying grounded in current realities.