Red Bike Leader

“To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I’ll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism – it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” – Conan O’Brien

I will miss the Conan O’Brien version of the Tonight Show. Personally I think he is a lot funnier than Leno or Letterman. His final show last week Friday was awesome and finished well. I have been stuck on his words of encouragement before joining Will Ferrell for a hilarious version of Free Bird to end the show.

I do not understand why I tend to be so cynical. There are obvious factors such as my relatively young age, being an American, and growing up having a lot of things. But why I choose at times to take a bitter, pessimistic outlook on situations, people, and things must mainly come because I choose to be a cynic. That choice, like the choice for many people, comes from not getting everything I think I should get. This is more then just stuff. It includes opportunities, experiences, and “good luck.” For whatever reason, when denied anything I feel like I am deserved it leads to adding more bitterness to my life.

From one young leader to all you others out there, I see the opportunity lead from a place of hope and out of a desire to make positive change. The challenge I must overcome is my bent towards cynicism. I strive to lead like Conan with optimism, humor and direction.