People often ask me, “Are leaders naturally born?”.

The truth is, leadership isn’t a genetic lottery. It isn’t stamped onto your forehead at birth. And it isn’t limited to those with the so-called “leadership stars” in their BaZi 八字 charts.

 

The Old View of Leadership

In classical texts, the 七殺 (Seven Killings) and 正官 (Direct Officer) stars are associated with power, authority, and by extension, leadership.

It makes sense on the surface. Seven Killings represents boldness and risk-taking. Direct Officer represents structure, responsibility, and order. But to say leadership belongs only to these stars is like saying only tall people can play basketball. Sure, it helps, but it’s not the whole game.

After 30 years of reading BaZi charts, I’ve learned this: leadership isn’t confined to one or two stars. In fact, there are at least 10 types of leadership, if you understand the strengths of all the Ten Gods (十神) in BaZi.

 

Leadership Is More Than Titles

Here’s the simple truth: if no one is following you, you’re not leading. You’re just taking a lonely walk in the park.

Leadership isn’t about your title. It isn’t about how loud your voice carries in a meeting. It isn’t even about whether your chart has the “right” stars.

Leadership is about what you do.

• It’s the willingness to make mistakes in front of others, so they see it’s okay to try.
• It’s having the courage to do what others fear, so they feel braver standing beside you.
• It’s guiding people in such a way that when they follow you, their lives improve.

If the people around you are not growing, then you’re not leading. You’re just managing. Or worse, bossing.

 

My Story: From “Zero Leadership Stars” to Leading Millions

Here’s where I surprise most people. By old BaZi standards, I have zero leadership stars. No usable Seven Killings. No favorable Direct Officer. According to traditional readings, I wasn’t supposed to lead anything more than maybe a study group of three.

And yet today, at the time of writing this, I lead a team of 156 staff. Beyond that, I’ve guided hundreds of thousands of students in Chinese metaphysics. Dare I say, over a million people have learned, grown, or been impacted by my work in some way.

Do I consider myself a “natural-born leader”? Absolutely not. I’ve never thought of myself that way. What I do have is the willingness to act, to fail, and to keep improving. That’s leadership.

So, when people ask, “Are leaders born?”, I answer maybe. But the better question is, “Are leaders built?”. And to that, the answer is always yes.

 

The Many Faces of Leadership

Here’s why I believe leadership exists in all Ten Gods of BaZi:

• Direct Resource (正印): Leading through wisdom, teaching, and nurturing.
• Indirect Resource (偏印): Leading through creativity, unconventional ideas, and innovation.
• Direct Wealth (正財): Leading through structure, discipline, and building stability.
• Indirect Wealth (偏財): Leading through opportunities, connections, and deal-making.
• Direct Officer (正官): Leading through order, fairness, and responsibility.
• Seven Killings (七殺): Leading through boldness, taking risks others avoid.
• Eating God (食神): Leading through inspiration, storytelling, and lifting spirits.
• Hurting Officer (傷官): Leading through vision, challenging the norm, shaking the system.
• Friend (比肩): Leading alongside, by example, shoulder-to-shoulder.
• Rob Wealth (劫財): Leading through drive, hustle, and pulling resources together.

That’s ten forms of leadership. Which means everyone, no matter their chart, has some way to lead. The question is: are you willing to act on it?

 

Leadership Requires Action

Too often, people romanticize leadership. They think it’s charisma, or charm, or having a certain “presence”. But I’ve seen plenty of charismatic people with zero followers, and quiet introverts who lead entire movements.

Leadership is about decisions and actions. It’s about taking the step others are afraid to take. It’s about showing up consistently, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s about taking responsibility when things go wrong and sharing credit when things go right.

In other words, leadership isn’t found in the stars of your chart. It’s found in the choices you make every day.

 

What BaZi Teaches About Leadership

This is where BaZi becomes useful. It doesn’t label you as “born a leader” or “never a leader.” What it does is show you how you can lead, based on your strengths.

• If your chart emphasizes creativity, then your leadership comes through ideas.
• If it emphasizes discipline, then your leadership comes through structure.
• If it emphasizes risk-taking, then your leadership comes through courage.

It’s like tools in a toolbox. Some leaders build with hammers. Others with screwdrivers. Others with paintbrushes. The important thing is not the tool you have, but whether you pick it up and use it.

So, are leaders born? Sure, they’re born. Just like everyone else. But great leaders are built; through choices, through courage, through action.

If no one is following you, you’re not leading. If people follow you and become better for it, then you are.

Your BaZi chart doesn’t hand you leadership. It hands you potential. What you do with it is entirely up to you.

And if you’ve ever doubted yourself because your chart lacks the “classic” leadership stars, let my story be proof: I had none, and yet I lead today. Not because of what’s written in my stars, but because of the decisions I chose to make. Making the best of what little my chart offers.

That’s what real leadership is.