They Go First

July 1st, 2025

What separates leaders from everyone else?
Is it their good looks or towering presence?
Maybe it’s a booming voice or a forceful demeanor?
Confidence that drips off them like dew?

That’s the image I once had of a leader.
But the more I’ve walked with real leaders—the kind who show up, serve, and stay when it’s hard—I’ve learned that those aren’t the defining traits.

At its core, stripped to the bone, a true leader does one thing others don’t:
They go first.

That’s it.
They take the first step before anyone else does.
The first to say yes.
The first to risk.
The first to be all in.
The first to pay a cost.
The first to serve, to pick up the trash, to say please and thank you.
The first to try something new.
The first to celebrate others.
The first to say, I was wrong or Will you forgive me?

Leaders don’t wait for others to pave the way—they step into the unknown, eyes open, heart pounding, unsure but moving forward anyway.

They’re not always right. Not always wise. Not always polished.
But they are courageous.

And by courageous, I don’t mean fearless.
They feel the fear—just like anyone else.
But they refuse to let fear have the final word.
They step through the fear, through the hesitation, through the uncertainty.
They own their mistakes.
They get back up.
And they go again.

Going first doesn’t make you the smartest or the most charismatic.
It doesn’t guarantee success or the spotlight.
But it does set the tone.
It invites others forward.
It creates momentum.
And it says, If I can do this, maybe you can too.

Those who go first rarely finish with applause. But they often leave a trail others can follow.

Because that’s what leaders do.
They go first.

Todd Rutkowski

Read more reflections like "They Go First" in my free ebook called “Lifelines.” Get Lifelines

 
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