Who Leads Your House?

Today the country will elect the 44th President of the United States. This has to be the most exciting Presidential race in history with a woman, a black man and the oldest man ever to have run for President. I hear many older people say, they never thought they would see something like this in their lifetime, yet they did.

No matter your political choice, please go out and vote today. However, you may have already voted, since polls are showing record numbers for early voters. It’s exciting to see people take a stand to support a leader they feel confident will lead this country best. People have listened to the candidates on their plans to end the war, solutions to the financial crisis and the level of importance placed on healthcare and education.

A question I hear come up frequently is, “Would you want a President that thinks like you?” Most people reply, “No, I would want him to be smarter than me.” That’s fine. I understand that most people would rather have someone that they perceive to be more qualified in terms of education, knowledge, experience and skills for the job. Yet most people are going to elect a candidate that they feel most represents them and their interest. So is that kind of like selecting someone that is like you? Just better, huh?

In any case, my question is, while the next President of the United States is working to resolve all the issues that interest or benefit you, what are you doing? Are you sitting around waiting for someone else to resolve all the problems of the world, including the ones that personally affect you? Or while you are taking time to select the nation’s leader, do you place that same amount of energy in being the leader of your own house?

Like your potential President-elect, do you surround yourself with good people (personal or industry experts) to offer good opinions or suggestions on advice to improve your financial strategies of homeownership, funding college for your children or saving for your retirement? On the other hand, are you simply waiting for your government to rescue you? Do you have a plan for wealth building?

Just as much as you want to have an effective leader for the country, you have to be an effective leader for your house. You need to take time out daily to tackle issues that surround your household. If you don’t make enough money, put an action plan together to prepare yourself for a position that will cover your expenses. If you have a business, create a plan for its growth or a succession plan for your retirement or in the event of death. Planning on retiring one day or sending your children to higher learning institutions, save for it.

When Presidents lead, they don’t just lead with their four-year term in mind, they lead with the countries future in mind. They look at the long-term plan, as well as the short-term fixing. They create a plan of action, stick to it, tweak, and adjust the plan along the way. This is how you need to lead your household in its issues.

It’s true, great business minds should be leading the country’s affairs. However, your great mind should be leading your personal affairs. Therefore, even if you don’t want to pick a President that is like you, maybe you need to start leading your personal affairs like the President you want to lead the country.