The Art of Grit

(6 Minutes)

Cornel West once said, “You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.” A simple yet weighty truth—one that feels more urgent than ever in our increasingly divided world. Leadership, at its best, is an act of love and service. Yet, how often do we see either of these qualities in those who hold power? And perhaps a deeper question: how often do we, as individuals, cultivate these qualities in ourselves?

It’s easy to point fingers at those in power and say, They are the problem. But the real issue runs deeper than any one leader, politician, or executive. Leaders do not emerge in isolation; they are a reflection of the society that enables them. If our leadership is selfish, short-sighted, and transactional, we must ask ourselves: What does that say about us?

The Contradiction of Self-Interest

At its core, leadership is a relationship—one that requires both giving and receiving. But what happens when love and service are no longer what people truly seek? We live in an era where many do not necessarily want to be led with love or served with wisdom. Instead, they want to be given things without responsibility, and they want to be told what to do without engaging in critical thought.

This is where the contradiction arises. Millions of people demand the same preferential treatment, yet their goals and desires often directly conflict. Society becomes a cacophony of competing self-interests, each expecting to be heard, each wanting more while offering less. And in this process, true leadership is lost.

To be loved requires reciprocity. It is a two-way street, a relationship built on mutual respect, engagement, and responsibility. But to be given something requires nothing but an open hand. It is a one-way transaction, devoid of deeper connection. The same is true for those who surrender their agency and simply wait to be told what to do. In abandoning critical thought, they expose themselves to the whims of those who do not lead with wisdom but with manipulation, fear, or empty promises.

History warns us what happens when a people collectively refuse to think for themselves. The lowest common denominator—the loudest, the most opportunistic, the most willing to exploit division—ends up steering the course of history. And when that happens, we find ourselves in a place where governance is no longer about wisdom, justice, or the common good, but about who can best capitalize on our unwillingness to engage meaningfully with the world around us.

The Pendulum Effect

So where does this leave us? Will the current era of uncertainty push us toward a more thoughtful and responsible approach to leadership and governance? Will we recognize the need for logic, morality, and common sense to guide us forward?

I hold onto hope, but I do not let it blind me. History has shown us that when the pendulum swings too far in one direction, it rarely finds balance—it simply swings just as violently in the opposite direction. The outrage of today fuels the extremism of tomorrow, and the cycle continues. And so, we are left with a question:

Are we willing to break this cycle?

Because the truth is, real change will not come from waiting for a new generation of leaders to emerge. It must start with us—each of us—taking responsibility for the role we play in shaping our society. If we continue to expect leadership without participation, guidance without effort, and progress without sacrifice, then we will continue to be governed by those who reflect our own indifference.

The Responsibility of the Individual

If we want better leaders, we must first become better individuals. We must engage with our communities, think critically, and act with integrity. We must not outsource our conscience to political parties, corporations, or media narratives. Governance is not something that happens to us; it is something we actively take part in—whether we recognize it or not.

Laws and regulations may serve as necessary backstops, preventing the worst abuses of power, but they should not be the foundation of how we govern our lives. They are guardrails, not guiding principles. The real work of building a just and functional society comes from within—from our willingness to think deeply, to engage honestly, and to hold ourselves accountable before we demand it from others.

True leadership is not about control. It is about service. It is about love. But if we, as individuals, refuse to think deeply, to act wisely, and to engage meaningfully, then the leaders we get will not be the ones who love and serve, but the ones who manipulate and exploit.

The future will not be shaped by a single election or a single leader. It will be shaped by the sum of our choices, our thoughts, and our actions. It is a sobering realization, but also an empowering one. If we want change, we must first embody it.

The choice, as always, is ours.