JerryHobby.com

About a year ago I had a conversation with a very good friend of mine about how some people seem to be "Born to be King!" while other people who are capable of being king, end up being the "King Maker". The king and the king maker. There are other types of people in the world as well. You could call them servants, peasants, knights, or whatever. I want to explore the question of king versus king maker.

The king is someone who is "the accomplished one". A CEO, head of the family, a famous person. Paris Hilton would be considered a king in this inquiry. It doesn't matter how successful she is or how talented she is. She is an excellent example of being the leader of her world and other people around her help her be whatever it is she wants to be. Those people are the king makers. Does she have one king maker? Or are there many? She probably has quite a few. Another "king" would be Michael Jordan. He's an entity of his own even though he is part of a team. And even in his greatness, Michael Jordan is surrounded by coaches and advisors to help him be even more successful.

Okay, let's just say it. "It's good to be king!" Perhaps not everyone wants to be king, but many of us do. More of us want to be king than not. We are all probably king in some small way. But why don't we become kings in larger ways? Are you the king in your career? Are you the king in your hobbies? Are you the king in your community? Are you the king in your family?

You can identify a king versus a king maker role quite easily. A king is the center of attention. People contribute to the king. The king maker seems to be doing a lot of work to help the king be successful. So which are you? Are you the loyal servant to a king? Or are you the king? I've noticed in my own life that I am frequently the king maker and not the king. I tend to help others acheive power and greatness in lieu of my own. Or so it would seem.

By examining my own life, I can see many rewards in being the king maker as well. The king maker is a role based on contribution. Perhaps being an advisor, teacher, or coach is the reward of a lifetime. But what about the old adage, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Are king makers really just kings who are afraid to be king? Is that who I am? Am I the king who was afraid to be king? In my case that hits home like a dagger in my heart.

My friend mentioned some great leaders who serve more as king makers than kings. They want to be known as advisors or teachers. Their contribution in life is to give the gift of knowledge to others. Their gift to society is the gift of knowlege and their accomplishment in life is giving knowledge to people who would be king. As with Michael Jordan. All his coaches and advisors help to create a greater king. The role the king makers play is so essential that if it wasn't for their contribution, there would not be a king at the level of Michael Jordan.

What I've noticed is how easy it is to make others wrong for their choices. If I see you being a king maker, it is very easy for me to judge you and decide you were a king maker only because you were afraid to be king and that your life is really a compromise. You have the "potential" to be king but chose king maker. But on the other hand, if you chose to be king, I could judge you and say you were selfish and prideful. That you chose king because you wanted the acknowledgement, accomplishment, and rewards all for yourself. The point is that it goes both ways. I can make you wrong for either choice. I can make you right for either choice. The world is full of choices that are not right or wrong. They are just personal choices. Be the king or be the king maker. Or be something else entirely.

So what makes your choice "right" or "wrong" for you? That is the question worthy of contemplation. If we sum up our journeys in life as "a pursuit of enlightenment". Life is a quest for knowledge, contribution, purpose, spirtuality, fulfillment, etc. Sum up all those pursuits and you can just call that "enlightenment". We are all in our own pursuits. Enlightenment cannot be given, it must be pursued individually. In your one pursuit of enlightenment, what is it that calls you forth? Are you called forth to lead people to new levels? Are you called forth to empower others to lead?

With this question and with other questions in life. The answer is not what other people say is the best answer. The answer is based on your own path in life. What is critical is for you to be truly aware of what it is that calls you forth. Be honest with yourself. Are you the king maker because you are afraid to be king, as I am? Or are you king maker because being king maker is your calling in life? Clear your path of "fears" and of doing "what others say is important". If you are a king maker that should be king, then choose king and be the king.

"To thine own self be true ...", Shakespeare. If you cannot be true to yourself, then you cannot be true to others.

Jerry