The most successful leaders have something in common. They understand that they must inspire themselves if they hope to inspire others.

But knowing something and achieving it are different things. Too often, leaders are so focused on motivating and supporting the well-being of their top teams, their employees, their customers, and their partners that they neglect their own needs.

It's a natural inclination and can even be seen as selfless, a positive attribute. It comes with its downsides, though. When you prioritize everyone else over yourself, you not only sell yourself short, but ultimately you don't provide others the kind of leadership they really need. After all, success is measured by more than bottom-line results or external recognition. True success in inspired leadership begins with a deep sense of self-love, purpose, unstoppable confidence, and well-being — traits that ultimately can rub off on those around you.

Judging Ourselves and Others Unfairly

To arrive at a place where you inspire yourself so you can inspire others, there are a number of things you need to master, but let's consider just three of them: how to master ego, how to master passion, and how to master innovation.

When people think of ego, they often connect it to narcissism, imagining someone who spends too much time admiring themselves in the mirror. But, oddly enough, our egos produce an inordinate amount of negative thoughts, causing us to judge ourselves, judge others, and judge our circumstances through an........

© International Business Times