You Don't Need Permission to Lead
How I Discovered Leadership Wasn't About Permission—It Was About Purpose
For most of my life, I never saw myself as a leader.
Growing up with a learning disability, I spent years feeling different from everyone else. I was shy, lacked confidence, and often worried that people would discover the struggles I worked so hard to hide. Leadership seemed reserved for people who were smarter, more outgoing, or more naturally confident than I was.
It wasn't that I didn't want to lead. I simply wasn't the person who was chosen.
For Years, I Wanted to Become the Director of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival
For years, I wanted to become the Director of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival. I cared deeply about the organization and believed in its potential, but leadership opportunities seemed to go to others. I continued volunteering, showing up, and doing the work anyway.
Then something unexpected happened.
The festival began to struggle. People left. The organization was at a crossroads. The opportunity I had wanted for years finally arrived—not because everything was going well, but because almost everyone else had walked away.
When I stepped into the role, something changed.
For the first time, I wasn't focused on whether I was qualified enough or whether someone had given me permission. I was focused on the mission. The festival needed leadership, and I was willing to provide it.
Leadership Is What Happens When You Care Enough
What I discovered was that leadership isn't something bestowed upon you by a title or a committee. Leadership is what happens when you care enough about something to take responsibility for its future.
The festival didn't just give me an opportunity.
It gave me purpose.
Over the years, I watched the festival grow from a small community event into an internationally recognized film festival that brings filmmakers from around the world to South County. More importantly, I watched local students, artists, filmmakers, and community members discover opportunities they never thought possible.
As the festival grew, so did I.
The confidence I spent years searching for didn't appear first. The work came first. The confidence followed.
Waiting for Permission to Lead
That's why I believe one of the biggest mistakes we make is waiting for permission to lead.
- We wait to be chosen.
- We wait to feel ready.
- We wait for someone to tell us we're qualified.
But leadership rarely arrives that way.
- Sometimes leadership begins when everyone else leaves the room and you decide to stay.
- Sometimes leadership begins when you care more about the mission than your fear of failure.
- Sometimes the thing that changes your life isn't the opportunity itself—it's discovering what you're capable of once you finally step into it.
