Being a leader is really hard.  I mean, like, REALLY hard.  You have to have an idea, first of all.  Then you have to share that idea.  Then you have to convince people to get on board with your idea and give it legs.  A lot of times, that also means you have to convince people to spend money to launch your idea.  That part is especially tough, because these same people might also be putting a lot of money into doing things the way they’ve been done for years and that means they’re invested in the very opposite of what you’re trying to sell.  Once you get that backing, you still have to make the new thing happen.

This process kind of looks like this:

You have to be willing to look pretty ridiculous.  But then one person will like your idea and will join you.  Then another.  And after a while, you have a whole crew of people who are really happy to join you in your mission.  After a while, those nay-sayers look pretty silly standing there, arms akimbo, looking bored while everyone else is dancing and the music is thumping.

Being a leader requires that you be willing to do a few things:

1.  You can’t be afraid to look like an idiot.  You probably will, many times.  There are people out there who want to make you look like you don’t know what you’re doing because they don’t want competition for their way of doing things.  There are people who will tell you that your plan will never work and that you’ll never get the backing you need.  These people are not your enemy.  Listen to them.  Look for useful feedback (the kind that comes with helpful feedback.)  Ignore the rest.  Buckle up — leadership is a  tough ride, and it comes with a lot of feeling awkward and vulnerable.  Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about your idea.
2. You have to be prepared to fully believe in your idea.  You’re going to have to defend it over and over and over again.  You have to know your idea inside and out, including the ugly parts, and you have to be prepared to put yourself out there to advocate for it.  If this makes you uncomfortable, you might need to revisit your idea and find the parts that need more work.
3. You have to be flexible.  It’s very likely that you’re going to find major flaws even after you’ve begun the process of bringing your idea to life, and you’re going to have to be able to readjust your plan on the fly.  This is totally OK.  There are very few really great ideas that didn’t have to do some evolving, even early on.  Sometimes, the necessary changes are tough to make happen.  (One of my friends had to move across the country to follow her idea.)  Growth is messy and complicated.  Having to change direction doesn’t mean failure — quite the opposite, really.
4. You have to own the idea.  This is very hard for me, personally.  I am a “behind the scenes” person.  I like big projects but don’t really love being in the spotlight.  I paint huge murals and then step away and watch people react to the space.  I am the person who actually hides when someone wants to call me onstage to receive recognition for something.  But when you’re marketing an idea, you absolutely have to put your name and your face out there and own your work.  If you don’t, other people can just as easily hijack your idea and take it in a direction you really don’t want it to go.  Be the face of your idea, and take the credit for it.  You also have to own the mistakes, but those are growth points, so you also get to own the better ideas that come behind the mistakes.  Of course, it’s always cool to share credit when you collaborate, and always give thanks to others who help you along the way, but you’re going to have to take praise and criticism honestly as the owner of your idea.  (Also, see number one in this list — it’s not about you.)
5. Just because you have a great idea, don’t think you’re finished.  Great ideas become obsolete over time, and become bad ideas when people cling to them after they’re no longer useful.  Be active in your field and keep learning new things.  Find inspiration!  Talk to people who use your idea on many different levels.  Learn new things.  Keep creating and keep innovating.  Don’t be afraid to walk away from an idea that has completed its lifespan and create something new.
6. Don’t take yourself too seriously.  You’re just one goofball dancing at a music festival.  Maybe people will dance with you.  Maybe you’ll just dance alone.  Chances are you’ll wind up on social media looking kind of silly. But if you’re not dancing because you’re enjoying it, what are you really doing?  Likewise, you need to keep the passion alive for your ideas.  Sometimes the process of launching an idea can overshadow the idea, itself.

Most of all, just keep dancing.  Enthusiastically.   Others will join because they want to have fun, too.