Happy President’s Day! In honor of a day that celebrates our forefathers, let’s talk a bit about leadership.

You might not believe you actually are a leader, you might not have the title or believe you lack the skills. However, you still have a “circle of influence.” What the heck is that, Dani? A circle of influence is quite literally the circle of people, friends, family, children affected by your thoughts and decisions.

And surprisingly, 98% of people ignore their circle of influence, as if it’s of no consequence. But everything you do, from your lifestyle down to the restaurants where you eat, is spread throughout this circle. While most of this influence might seem minor, it can also lead to major, important, big, BIG things.

As a parent, you have to be aware you have one of the most important leadership positions of all. You are grooming the minds of the next generation! In fact, even if you aren’t a parent… you might be a teacher, a nanny, a pediatrician, a coach or anyone who has frequent interaction with today’s youth, you are a leader.

Most likely, they will pick up all of your habits and their ideas about money from you. Mix those habits with the constant stream of consumerism from the media, and your child has just been groomed to fail. Before they even think about higher education, student loans, home mortgages or retirement, they are already being groomed to fall flat on their face.

The truth is, there are so many things they will never learn in the school system essential to becoming financially independent, creating strong relationships and even pursuing a career. For all the hours and years your kid will spend in school, they will never learn entrepreneurial or basic leadership skills. They will not even learn how to balance their checkbook!

According to the Common Core State Standards, “The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.”

If those truly are the goals of education, how can business (which is what drives the economy) garner so little attention in America’s primary education system? Knowing all of this, is it really such a big shock that many of today’s leaders suck at it?

The good news is, you have total control over changing it! You have total control over how you influence your kids. You know the media and schools aren’t doing it! Let’s do what we can to help groom the next generation for success. Leave me your comments below and be sure to Share today’s message.

Some of you might have the day off today and I hope you are truly enjoying a little extra rest or time with the family. While you are on break, make sure to tune in to The Dani Johnson Show at 12 pm ET/11 am CT. Check out where you can find us on your radio today or simply stream the show live on our website. Please join me for this important discussion!

In great faith,

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