On Thursday, 19 February 2015, the Chinese and some other Asians celebrated the start of the Lunar New Year.
According to the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the goat.
While I don’t subscribe to this belief system and there are many negative qualities of goats, I believe there are many lessons you can learn from this beautiful animal. Lessons that can help you live well and be successful.
Lesson 1. Leading the field.
There is a wise but strange counsel that was offered to the Babylonians, “Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock (Jeremiah 50:8 NIV).
The metaphor used about goats in this verse is that of leadership.
It is used in this context because goats by nature have a mind of their own. They are known to wander off on their own and in their desired direction.
When they are with sheep, they are known to take charge. They can be trained to lead them.
As we look at the challenges in the 21st century, we need to have more leaders. We need them to help us respond to these challenges and create a better world.
Leadership is an important key to making transformational changes. It
is the ability to develop better individuals, groups, organizations, and environments.
In fact, all effective organizations depend on effective leadership and teamwork.
While leadership is a quality that can and should be learned, sadly many have not focused on developing it. Few have gone out of the way to enhance their ability to influence lives for the better.
If you learned to be a better leader, you’ll live a better life.
Beginning from the goat year, start learning how to lead the way to a brighter future.
2. Leading in front while earning the privilege of follower-ship.
The Bible says that “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt (Proverbs 30:29-31 NIV).
The image painted of goats in this passage is of a leader that stands out from the crowd and commands respect.
It’s symbolic of effective leaders who do not rely on position or power to lead the people. They continue to earn the rights to lead and the privilege of follower-ship.
Leaders put all their passion into what they do and take pride in doing a good job. Their ability to lead others comes from strength of the 5Cs.
The 5Cs are character, commitment, capacity, competence, and compassion for the people around them.
They make brave decisions, if necessary, to break existing moulds and make-up. They are willing to take unbeaten tracks to improve organisational mission, model, and mode of operation.
Leaders ring fence themselves and their team against dangers, risks and liabilities. They also have the resilience to bounce back from failures.
In addition, they develop the grit to persevere throughout the journey until they reach the predetermined destination.
3. Keeping an eye on the future while pressing on in the present.
Legend has it that goats have slit eyes so that they can see around obstacle and obstruction to find better pasture.
In the same way, leaders are not easily held back. They will find a way to go through or around anything that stands in the way to success.
They are known to climb the steepest mountains and even almost vertical walls. Few obstacles can hold them back even if it’s an uphill climb to their goal.
Check out the videos:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
If goats are not finding ways to advance forward, they are standing on their hind legs to graze on tender leaves that are not within easy reach. They are not easily contented and will stretch themselves to achieve progress.
Leaders and successful people share similar qualities. They keep an eye on the future while finding better ways to move forward.
4. Leading while putting others before yourself. Using their talents while being of good use to them.
Goats are some of the most valuable and useful animals. Their flesh can be served as food.
In addition, goats’ milk can a nourishing drink and can be made into cheese and butter. Their fleece can be woven and made into warm clothing, tents, bags, writing brushes, and even as containers for different liquid.
In the same way, you should focus more on being a contributor than a consumer. Learn to value-add to whatever you set out to do.
Be a plus factor to the people and environment around you.
Throughout your life, position yourself as a problem solver and a solution provider. Build a strong personal brand for value-adding to others.
Aim to exceed other people’s expectation of you. Deliver more values and run many more extra miles for them.
Establish a track record for helping others to succeed in life. As a result, you will always be a respected and a desired member of any enterprise, community, and society.
When you are able to provide massive amount of value-addition, you will attract greater opportunity and success. It will help you to achieve quality and sustainable results.
5. Leading with what you have while breaking current mould and pattern.
Goats are by nature intelligent and curious. They are adventurous and inclined to taking initiatives and exploring new territories.
For example, any confined space that can detain other animals such as cattle, deer, and sheep may not be able to hold back a goat. It will persevere to escape from it.
Over time, it can also learn how to open gates. They can also create or squeeze through small gaps to free themselves.
In Morocco, goats have learned to climb trees up to a height of 30 feet in search of food. They are so skillful that they can climb from one flimsy-looking, narrow and steep trunk or branch even though they are hoofed animals.
Check out the following video and see for yourself these amazing goats in action.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
Effective leaders develops a disruptive mindset and a healthy dissatisfaction with the current situation. They are not concern about being like the rest and that’s why they can come across as being more unreasonable than reasonable. Abnormal than normal.
They are not confined by borders and boundaries and neither are they restricted by out-of-bounds markers.
The word impossible is not a part of their accepted lexicon.
They are restless souls, always desiring to know the unknown and discovering the undiscovered so as to expand their worldview. They are constantly thinking about how to interrupt current patterns and break away from the crowd so as to pursue a higher achievement.
While others are thinking about what’s next, they are deliberating about what’s coming after ‘what’s next.’ They are looking ahead of the curve and around the bend to invest in the future and be future-ready.
They will not hesitate to turn long and hard corners. They go beyond the horizon to chart new path and destination.
The world needs such leaders to create radical breakthroughs. Breakthroughs that are not only beneficial, they will influence others and change the way they think, speak, act, work, and even the way they live.
These breakthroughs will also create a cascade of positive outcomes and make a major impact on the landscape of life.
6. Leading by loving others while loving yourself.
Many may not know that goats are more loving than what they portray themselves to be. They have a nurturing quality and will look after each other in a gentle way.
As we celebrate the year of the goat, let’s remember we are created with the gift of love.
We are designed to be loving, compassionate and kind. It is already wired within each and every one of us.
It’s about time we reignite the full power and measure of love and fulfill our Creator’s calling for us.
Go4It!
I hope this message will find a place in your heart.
By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.
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Please read my reflection and continue to teach me.
Life is FUNtastic!
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