Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them.

Possess the "Nobel Factor": Possess and constantly demonstrate optimism, faith, and hope. They create choices. I am reminded of an ancient Chinese proverb: "That the birds of worry and care fly above your head, this you cannot change; but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent."

A leader is someone whose actions have the most profound consequences on other people's lives, for better or worse, sometime forever and ever.

Make sure you have someone in your life from whom you can get reflective feedback.

Leaders know the importance of having someone in their lives who will unfailingly and fearlessly tell them the truth.

Those who take risks walk the high wire with no fear of falling.

This is more than just having a vision. You can see the difference in the often-cited way in which Steve Jobs brought in John Sculley to take over Apple. At the time, Sculley was destined to be the head of Pepsico. The clincher came when Jobs asked him, "How many more years of your life do you want to spend making colored water when you can have an opportunity to come here and change the world?"