13 Ways to Know if You’re a Victim or a Leader

Victim vs Leader

The most successful people in life are not victims. They are leaders. They lead their families, themselves, their co-workers, their companies and they take responsibility. They manifest greatness because they lead themselves and they take risks.

Here are 13 ways to be a victim and 13 ways to be a leader. Which will you choose?

Victims talk about people. Leaders talk about ideas. 

Gossip never advanced a person’s life. Talking about other people is pointless unless your a hiring director. Leaders talk about ideas because ideas lead to real value. Ideas lead to new business, new innovation, new wealth and new lives. Ideas talk and BS walks.

Victims procrastinate. Leaders execute.

The urge to push things off until tomorrow or next week is strong sometimes. But remember that actions create habits. Don’t wait when it can be done now. Leaders execute because they know action leads to greatness and procrastination leads to dreams that never happened. Take action. Execute.

Victims enjoy watching things (like TV and video games). Leaders like making things.

Either you are a consumer or creator in this economy. Victims like to watch things happen. They watch TV (a lot!) and play video games. Leaders like to create. They are entertained by what they can make and deliver to the world. Life is about balance, but take stock as ask yourself if you’re creating or consuming. Don’t just watch. Make things.

Victims are distracted. Leaders are focused.

Focused effort yields mighty gains. Victims allow themselves to get distracted with the minutia of the world. They lose sight of the important few and focus on the urgent many. Leaders know that their focus really is their most powerful asset. Learn to stay focused to get more out of life. Your time depends on it.

Victims abhor change. Leaders adore change.

We’ve all heard it. “No one likes change.” It’s bull. Victims fear change and shy away. Leaders see change as an opportunity. With change comes massive opportunities to implement new ideas or to create new avenues of value. Embrace change.

Victims read what everyone reads. Leaders read what few do.

Victims read the everyday. They read and watch the news because everyone else does. To have a unique mind and insight, you must feed it with the unique. Leaders read what other won’t or can’t. Find out what’s cutting edge and what the innovators of our time read. Drop the dribble. Pick up the innovative edge.

Victims are stuck in the past. Leaders are inspired by the future.

The past is over. Victims live in the past. They always talk about it. They build it up or they mourn over it. What’s done is done. Leaders look to the past only as a lesson to the future. Leaders look forward and are inspired by the possibilities. Look forward with optimism and inspire those around you. Drop the baggage of yesterday.

Victims love leisure. Leaders love learning.

Victims love leisure just a little too much. They’d rather sit on the couch relaxing than to read a book or learn something new. Learning can be difficult but ultra rewarding. Leaders love to learn because the day we stop learning we stop growing. If you want to lead anything in this world, you cannot stop growing. Learn. Grow. Lead.

Victims tear people down (because it makes them feel better). Leaders lift others up.

We’ve all seen it or experienced it. The insecure person who tears others down to make themselves feel better. It’s so blatant and obvious and all too common. Victims tear others down. Leaders lift others up because they know it will help everyone. Build everyone around you up because they support you.

Victims are rude. Leaders are polite.

Victims don’t have manners. They can only see their own problems or issues. They only want to solve their immediate problem. Leaders are polite because they take other people’s feelings into account. They know people are important and being kind and polite is just the right thing to do.

Victims practice negativity. Leaders are unreasonably positive.

Victims are perpetually negative. Their negativity is feeding their victim mentality. Leaders are so positive others sometimes wonder what the hell is wrong with them. Yes! Be that unreasonably positive if you want to impact the world. Be unreasonable.

Victims waste time. Leaders exploit time.

Time is all we have. It cannot be recreated. We can always earn more money. We cannot earn more time. Victims tend to waste time. Leaders learn to use time to their advantage. They learn to build routines and habits around time to maximize their efforts.

Victims achieve things for the applause. Leaders achieve them for the fulfillment.

Many people look for the bright lights of recognition. Leaders look for the internal feeling of fulfillment. Victims expect applause. Leaders don’t expect applause because they may never come. But the satisfaction to know you accomplished something is all the reward necessary to a true leader.