Solitude…Builds Better Leaders?

Currently, I am in University Hall on the second floor. The sun is giving the lounge area an ambiance of serenity. People around reading and enjoying refreshments from the coffee shop on the first floor. I honestly have never felt so relaxed. This is my first time coming to University Hall for some time alone--or spending alone time at all for that matter.

Over the weekend, I read on the importance spending time alone, critical thinking and its correlation to leadership. All three of these subjects, believe it or not, are essential to being successful in business. Therefore, I have allotted myself an hour each day that I am going to choose a place to read, study, or eat a meal by myself.

I chose to do this simple task because the goal of obtaining a higher education is not only to gain knowledge of a specific subject. There is an underlying goal: to learn how to critically think. Therefore, I am taking the initiative to use my alone time to hone these skills.  I have learned that taking charge of what you accept as truth is essential to being a leader. Solitude gives you the opportunity to do that.  Then, in the ripple effect, you become more suitable for leadership.

I recommend this idea to any student that desires to become better-rounded. There are so many areas to spend alone time. It simply is up to you if you choose to take advantage of the opportunity.

If you are interested in reading about the benefits of solitude, there is a link below of a few the essays I read.

http://theamericanscholar.org/solitude-and-leadership/#.UxUEEfldWJg

https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

http://moreintelligentlife.com/story/david-foster-wallace-in-his-own-words