Death Liberates — How Loss Fueled Obama’s Bold Leadership

A note to young leaders. Death is the great liberator.

When Barrack Obama’s mother died – way too young, at the age of 53 from uterine cancer – Obama suddenly found himself an orphan, having already lost his father 13-years prior.

While grieving his mother’s loss, Obama had an epiphany:

“It suddenly dawned on me that life is short and unpredictable. I resolved then and there that I wasn’t going to die without giving it my all, without going for my dreams. I wasn’t going to hide by playing it safe and fearing failure. That’s when I committed myself to running for the Senate and to truly believing that one day I could be President.”

His mother’s final gift to him was to make him bold. If he could endure the loss of his mother, what else did he have to fear?

The following year, Obama was elected to the Illinois state senate.

And 13-years after his mother’s death, he was elected President of the United States.

So do not send to know for whom the bell tolls. The bell always tolls for thee.