June 1, 2026
Are You Looking For a Real Paycheck
or Money?
Leaders…when was the last time you received a REAL paycheck?
Yes, leaders receive a paycheck every two weeks. Taxes are deducted. Retirement contributions come out. The money gets deposited into a bank account.
But that's not how REAL leadership is truly paid.
A leader's real paycheck comes from knowing they made a meaningful difference in someone's life.
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Not by buying someone a cup of coffee.
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Not by dropping a dollar into a collection jar.
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Not through a small random act of kindness that lasts a moment.
I'm talking about the kind of impact that changes a person's direction in life; restores their confidence; opens a door they couldn't open themselves; helps them overcome a major life obstacle; develops them beyond their self-doubt; or leaves them better off years from now because you were there when they needed you.
Those real paychecks don't arrive through direct deposit.
✔️ They arrive as a phone call many years later.
✔️ A thank-you note you weren't expecting.
✔️ A colleague sharing what you did for them with other colleagues.
✔️ A former student, colleague, employee, friend, or family member telling you that something you said or did mattered more to their lives than you ever realized.
Knowledgeable leaders know that their greatest real paycheck isn't found on a pay stub or direct-deposit notification nor does it come every two weeks. A real paycheck is found in the lives of the people they helped, and they may only get paid many years later.
So, I’ll ask again:
When was the last time you received a real paycheck?
Putting It All Together:
If you are looking for a position of leadership for the money, power or position that you feel will help you get to a better/higher place, then you are not looking for a real leadership position. A real leader doesn't always ask for something in return. Frequently they give of themselves in ways that are not part of the job specifications, but are part of being a human caring for other humans. So, if you are looking for the money, glory, title, collect your paycheck every two weeks. But, if you are looking for the real paycheck of knowing that you've made a difference in someone else's life, then plan on waiting to find out if you've earned that paycheck.
Quotes to Put Into Practice
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The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mahatma Ghandi
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What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pike