“Having More to Live with Is No Substitute for Having More to Live For.”
This is a common quote that many use and that can carry different meanings depending on context. However, in the context of leadership, it is a thought-provoking and instructive quote. In many cases, people measure leadership by visible success. A closely related aspect of material accumulation is its appearance. So, leadership in this case is associated with massive salaries, big perks, a large corner office, impressive titles, and a vast network. But many accomplished leaders have learnt a quiet truth: having more to live with is not the same as having more to live for.
Modern society, as demonstrated by optics, shows that displays of opulence lead many to a mastery of accumulation, yet they remain in search of meaning and purpose. A leader can possess resources, status, accolades and recognition yet still feel disconnected, exhausted, and unfulfilled. This is because achievement alone cannot sustain the human spirit. People do not thrive merely on comfort, convenience, or consumption. They thrive on purpose. The most effective leaders are driven by something deeper than personal gain. They are anchored in mission, contribution, and the desire to leave people, organisations, and communities better than they found them. Many organisations today are filled with talented leaders who are materially successful yet feel emotionally disengaged. Teams are not inspired simply by leaders who have achieved financial success; they are inspired by leaders who stand for something captivating and meaningful.
Purpose is fuel that changes how leaders work. It turns jobs into a calling, transforms pressure into perseverance, and gives meaning to sacrifice and resilience during difficult seasons. Leadership without purpose eventually becomes performance-driven and transactional. By contrast, leadership rooted in purpose inevitably creates a legacy. Every leader must ultimately ask these crucial questions: Why do I want to lead? What am I ultimately building? Who benefits from my leadership beyond myself? Does my title and office define who I am? And if that were stripped away, what would my influence and impact be felt? As Peter Drucker said, “Leadership is responsibility rather than rank and privilege.” Therefore, every leader must recognise that history remembers leaders not merely for accumulating wealth or power, but for advancing ideas, developing people, solving problems, and serving causes greater than themselves. In the end, fulfilment does not come from simply having more possessions or privileges. It comes from knowing that your life and leadership genuinely mattered. Having more to live with may increase comfort.
I agree with John Quincy Adams’s description of leadership: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”. But having more to live for is what creates significance, legacy, and lasting impact.
Kingston Ogango
Leadership Catalyst