Fuel Your Drive, Not Your Ego: How Successful Leaders Stay Curious, Alert and Ambitious Amidst Praise and Recognition

“You are at your most vulnerable only when people speak of your greatness.” - Walt Disney

Being recognized is an incredible feeling.

Acknowledgements and awards prove hard work and success. Its time to put up your feet and take a well earned break, right?

But thats exactly the risk. When youre surrounded by applause, its tempting to think weve reached the top. That there’s nothing left to reach for.

This is the vulnerability Walt talked about. Its not the lows or the mistakes. Its the comfort of the highs when were a risk to ourselves.

Because in those highs its easy to become stagnant. Easy to take your foot of the gas and miss out on innovation. Easy to be blindsided by problems that are creeping up on you.

My message to leaders:

Enjoy your successes but stay alert. Stay curious. Stay ambitious.

Every compliment should be a reminder that the journey isnt over. Every praise should push you to ask, “What’s next?”

In leadership, resting on your laurels is never an option. Its about continuous improvement. So, when they speak of your greatness, let it fuel your drive, not your ego.