Taking the LEAD with Anwar Aiken

How do you view The Arts?  
Arts represent self-exploration, self-expression, and personal creativity.  

Tell us about LEAD YOUniversity.
My motto is simple. Don't just live your life; lead your life.  Each of us is the sum of our decisions.  LEAD YOUniveristy is about helping people take ownership of those decisions by becoming leaders in and of their lives.        

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I don't consider myself an entrepreneur. I'm a Servant Leader.  My goal is to help people and businesses get from where they are to where they want to be.   

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Why is it so crucial that you help people along your journey?
Because along time age someone helped me.  I understand the anxiety of feeling stuck.  The frustration of knowing you have greatness inside and not being able to tap into it. It's easy to get discouraged and quit when you can't see the next step.  I help people understand that next step.   

What tips do you have for someone interested in having a career in a creative space?
Have a definite purpose.  So many people have infomercial creativity. It's when every idea or creative inspiration looks appealing to you.  So we waste time jumping from idea to idea, never actually doing anything. Don't misunderstand I'm all for creative inspiration, we all need that.  However, purpose gives you clarity and focus.  There are so many distractions, and it's easy to lose our way.

How do you measure success in someone you coached?
A person's success or failure isn't up to me or anyone else.  The best definition I've heard for success came from Earl Nightingale.  He said, "Success is nothing more than the progressive realization of a worthy ideal."  If you know what you want and where you're going, you're a success.  It's not about achieving the goal, it’s about becoming the person worthy of having the goal.  Our journey is our success, not just the destination.  A question we should all ask ourselves is, who are we becoming?    

What is so unique about your style of coaching that sets you apart from others?
It would be easy to list my training.  Or tell a story about coaching a problematic client to success and having coaching experience in both the military and civilian sectors—all of which I've done.  But the reality is I have failed too, made mistakes also, I don't have all the answers either, and I'm certainly not perfect.  And I never forget that.  

How do you feel The Arts enhance our lives?
The Arts are in everything we do.  They teach us to discover who we are and share it with the world. So many don't know who they are.  We spend so much time wondering what other people think and trying to fit in, that we spend almost no time being true to ourselves.  The most significant investment a person can make is in themselves.  Arts teach us that.    

What should people do while having this quiet time in quarantine?
I'm not sure it's quiet for everyone.  With schools closing, businesses shutting down, families searching for balance, and some folks just trying to catch a break, it’s anything but quiet.  There are a few things people need to accept.  First, what we all know to be "NORMAL" is gone, and it's not coming back.  Each us has the responsibility to look ahead and discover our "NEW NORMAL." Next, be thankful for people things we sometimes take for granted.  Finally, take time and invest in yourself.  Pick your one thing to get better at.  Ask yourself, when the pandemic is over, I will be better at ____?  We have a choice.  We can go through or GROW through.