LeadershipHQ Magazine February 2015 1st Edition | Página 12

Leaders in volunteering roles are a
unique breed as well. The time and
effort that these individuals devote
to a specific cause is truly remarkable. There are not many people willing to work, much less lead, without
any type of compensation beyond
the joy they receive by serving an important cause.
The problem is mostly in the workplace… the reason? Most people
despise their jobs. Most polls taken have the figure around or above
70%. That’s 7-0.
So, why the hell would someone
want to take on more responsibilities in a job that they already hate?
Well, that’s where mindset comes in.
I’m sure you were wondering why
Buddha was quoted right below the
title.
Here’s where I finally get to the point.
Regardless of religious affiliation,
there is no denying that Siddhartha
Gautama (aka, “The Buddha”) was a
truly remarkable individual. Not only
because he created a mass following
of people devoted to his teachings
(Buddhism is not a religion), which
he did…but because of his incredible
impact on various peoples and communities thousands of years after his
death.
Take for example his teachings on
mindfulness and meditation. Neuroscientists are just now beginning to
discover just how revolutionary his
teachings were.
A study undertaken by Harvard
professor Sara Lazar and other Harvard-affiliated researchers led to the
creation of the Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction (MBSR) program to
test mindfulness’ impact on cognitive
abilities. However, not only did the
participants experience exceptional
cognitive benefits, there were struc-

11 | © LeadershipHQ 2015

tural differences created in the brain.
Here’s what the MR images revealed:
• Increased gray-matter density
within the hippocampus, the area
of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
• Changes within the brain structure
areas responsible for compassion,
introspection, and self-awareness.
• Decreased gray-matter density
within the amygdala, the brain
structure responsible for anxiety
and stress.
Absolutely remarkable…a man who
lived 2,500 years ago has scientists
(not the most easily convinced people) testing hypotheses on his teachings? And proving that they create
physical, measurable changes in the
human brain?
Well, that’s what it comes down to –
Mindset. You are leaders because you
have abilities to not only grow and
learn, but to demonstrate compassion and earn the trust of people that
follow you.
Even if you didn’t have these capabilities, the scientific discoveries on
mindfulness noted above show that
you can gain them.
Regardless of how you acquired these
attributes, you are indeed wired differently. It doesn’t matter if your situation is ideal or not. Buddha had
to leave his wife and child…but that
never detracted him from making one
of the most incredible discoveries in
history. He innately knew that his ultimate purpose was to teach people a
better and more enlightened path.
Similarly, the people that follow and
depend on you are what matters
most.
In a way, you are sort of like the Buddha. Just don’t let it get to your head…
he probably wouldn’t approve.