What Does it Mean to be King?
“Merlin, what does it mean to be king?”
– King Arthur to Merlin in Excalibur
One of my favorite movies is Excalibur. Released in 1981, the movie recounts the legend of King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, and the quest for the Holy Grail. Early in the movie, young Arthur draws the sword Excalibur from the stone. This act reveals Arthur as the destined king, as only the true king would be able to remove the sword.
Immediately upon realizing his destiny, what does young Arthur do? He panics. While the knights are taking sides and gearing up for a civil war, Arthur flees into the woods, chasing after the wizard Merlin. Terrified, he asks, “Merlin, what does it mean to be king?”
During a long, sleepless night, Arthur confronts his fears about the task ahead. With Merlin’s guidance, young Arthur comes to grips with what he must do. Then he gets to work unifying the knights and establishing the kingdom.
This scene has always been striking to me. How is it that the most famous king of legend, this man who is destined from birth to take up the sword Excalibur and unify the realm, doesn’t have a clue about what he is supposed to do?
I’ve always been amazed by that scene. How is it that the most famous king of all time, destined from birth, doesn’t have a clue? Why isn’t he born with all of the knowledge, skill, and courage to fulfill his destiny? Why does he actually have to figure it out as he goes along?
The reason is quite simple. Leaders are made, not born.
So when my books arrived from the printer, the very first thing I did was to present signed copies to my daughters, ages 11 and 8. As students at A.B. Combs Leadership magnet school in Raleigh, they already have learned a lot about leadership at a very young age. I want them to see that they can be CEOs of their own life!
I wrote a note to each of them saying “YOU can use this book to CREATE SUCCESS in your life – no matter what field you choose to pursue!” Later on that morning, I found them curled up together reading intently!
The same is true for you. YOU can use this book to create more success in your life and business – whether you are a one-person entrepreneur or an executive in an established company. Starting right now.
The book focuses on the critical question that each CEO must wrestle with as his company grows and changes: “What should I be working on right now?” Short and to the point, it immediately illuminates where you should focus your time and energy as CEO.
To read more about the book, head here. Or you can purchase it directly from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle. Get your copy today and learn how to shift the performance of your company.
To your success!
