Have you ever had a moment—maybe quiet and brief—when you sensed that your life, your leadership, was heading somewhere important? A glimpse of purpose, even if you couldn’t quite put it into words?
That’s not just wishful thinking. That’s a spark of destiny.
Leadership development isn’t just about acquiring skills or checking off competencies. It’s about becoming who you’re meant to be—growing into the unique, impactful version of yourself that only you can be. Your destiny. And often, the path to becoming that kind of leader doesn’t start with strategy. It starts with self.
A Forgotten Knowing
There’s a beautiful myth from the Jewish tradition that speaks to this inner knowing. It’s said that before birth, the Angel Lailah places a soul in the womb and lights a candle to show it the path of its life—the role it’s meant to play in the world. But just before birth, Lailah extinguishes the candle and gently places a finger to the child’s lips, causing the soul to forget everything it saw.
That tiny indentation beneath your nose? It’s said to mark the spot where Lailah whispered, “Shhh.”
The myth suggests that deep within us, we carry a hidden knowledge of who we’re here to become—and the journey of life is about rediscovering it. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung believed something similar. His concept of the collective unconscious tells us that we’re born recognizing inner patterns and archetypes—clues to the bigger story we’re meant to live.
So, what if your leadership journey isn’t random? What if the challenges you face, the wins you celebrate, and even the frustrations that keep you up at night are all pointing you toward your deeper purpose?
Fate vs. Destiny: Why It Matters in Leadership
People often use the words fate and destiny interchangeably, but they’re not the same.
Fate is the hand you’re dealt—the circumstances you’re born into, your personality traits, the cultural and organizational realities you operate within.
Destiny, on the other hand, is the mark you’re meant to leave. It’s your deeper calling—the impact only you can make.
As a leader, fate shows up in things like company culture, reporting structures, and inherited team dynamics. Destiny shows up in how you rise above them. It’s in the vision you cultivate, the people you develop, the legacy you quietly build day by day.
And here’s the catch: you don’t arrive at your destiny using a roadmap. You find it by facing your fate and by walking through the very real, often messy process of becoming.
Your Leadership Journey Is a Clue
Think about your own path so far. The detours, the difficult bosses, the moments when you felt completely in over your head—what if those weren’t just obstacles, but necessary shaping forces of your fate?
Leadership development, like all personal development, is really a mirror. Every interaction, every tough decision, every moment of self-doubt reflects something about you—what you value, where you struggle, and where you’re being invited to grow.
As philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life must be lived forward but can only be understood by looking backward.” The same goes for leadership. The dots often only connect in hindsight—but they do connect.
So—What’s Your Destiny?
Is your leadership role just a twist of fate on the way to something bigger? Or is it the very arena where your purpose and destiny is playing out?
And if leadership is part of your destiny, how would you lead differently today?
Would you take more risks?
Speak with more honesty?
Invest in your own growth instead of just checking the boxes?
Based on my own experience and from over two decades working with leaders, I believe leadership development is one of the most profound forms of self-development. Because every time you grow as a person, your leadership improves—and so does your impact.
You’re not just managing a team. You’re becoming the kind of person people want to follow. That’s not just fate. That’s destiny in motion.
Ready to lead with more purpose?
⭐Let’s connect your role as leader to what it’s teaching you about who you’re meant to become.🔍Explore my work with leaders and teams and ✔️schedule a free strategy session with me here.