I described leadership this week to someone as “pushing big boulders up big hills.” I don’t mean that in a negative way, rather I believe that the work of a leader is to see the next pinnacle and help move the organization to reach it.

I think of the line by political adviser James Carville who famously coined the slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid.” My version of that is “It’s the future” and maybe I would leave off the word stupid!

As individuals responsible for an organization or a project, or even our own trajectories, it seems to me that our very first responsibility is to envision what comes next, not just immediately next but in the future. What is the end game? What is it that we want to achieve? Why?

In my own world of work, my end game is focused on what will improve the lives of the people we care for, both today and in the future. What will help us to anticipate needs and to define our role, what will help us to build on our success?

Change is not an easy thing. There is always resistance in the form of “But we have always done it this way” or “I don’t want to see things change” or “Everything is fine the way it is, why rock the boat?” Those are normal, understandable, entirely human reactions.

But if we are to truly achieve, standing still is not an option. Where does growth lie? What are the opportunities and what are the obstacles? Doing the research and shaping a vision requires engagement, education and persuasion. While you may be committed to the outcome you believe to be right, others need time to process, to learn and to understand.

So, yes, that boulder begins as your challenge. But if we are truly leading, we involve others, we help them to understand and support the vision, we address their questions and concerns and we develop a team to help push that boulder up the hill.

What happens when we reach the top of that big hill? Perhaps we rest awhile and live within what we have accomplished. Perhaps we set our sights on the next hill and begin again. Whatever we do, we do for the ultimate good, for the future and with positive intent and a full heart.