I work with young leaders every day. And, I have to say, it's one of my favorite parts of leading. I have two incredible young leaders as sons. (The picture with this post was taken with them a few years ago on the day we moved to Kentucky.)

Occasionally, when I'm talking to a younger leader, something becomes apparent. They often think what they are experiencing is unique. And, perhaps more surprising, they think their struggle is no longer mine—like somehow I've outgrown those issues. 

After experiencing this numerous times, I was prompted to write this post. These are some things you need to understand to be a leader long-term.

Here are 10 realities every young leader needs to know:

1. At times, you will feel overwhelmed.

You know the feeling, right? Like you can't get it all done, and you're not sure you know where to start. As a leader, those feelings don't ever completely leave you. There will be seasons where they are stronger than others, but if you're doing anything of value, you will occasionally feel overwhelmed. These times are a part of life and work, something you'll never completely outgrow.

2. You won't always know what to do.

You don't ever get to a point in life where you've learned everything. You get better at some things. Okay, lots of things. Obviously, wisdom and experience have their benefits. But, regardless of your age (if you're doing anything productive) you'll learn something knew every day.

3. Seldom will you be 100 percent certain.

Whenever you're making decisions—like the really big decisions of life—you'll seldom be absolutely, with no reservations, convinced they're the absolute best. You'll always have an element of risk in your life. You will be forced to move forward by faith based on the best information you have at the time (from your own experience and the collective wisdom of others) and then trust God with what you don't know.

And this is a good thing. It keeps you grounded and on your knees before God.

Sometimes this happens just so you can learn. And this is a huge concept to understand.

Perhaps it's a job you don't particularly like. Maybe you put all your effort into a project and it doesn't work—or it's not as good as you thought it would be. You might try a new business, and it fails. It's easy to get frustrated, even lose hope. But the process will teach you something if you allow it to. And the value of the learning experience may prove life-changing in years to come. Never miss the principles intended for you.

4. You'll often feel underappreciated.

There will be lots of things you do that no one will notice. You may be doing great things, trophy-deserving things. It may appear at times as though no one notices or even cares. And this may not be true. They may simply be living a full life as you are—overwhelmed as you are—and they simply didn't take time to let you know how much you are appreciated. Plus, the more you do something well, the more it becomes expected, and the less recognition you receive. But if you dwell on it too long, all of this can leave you feeling underappreciated. Like all leaders who last, eventually we have to find our reward in the knowledge and personal satisfaction of our work well done as much as, if not more than, the public recognition of our work.

5. People are watching.

If you position yourself to lead in any way, you become a target of spectators who observe what you do, what you say and what you post on social media. Some will agree. Some will not. Some will agree just to get on your good side; disappoint them, and they will leave. Some won't agree because they are jealous of a leader with an opportunity. But this being said, don't shy away from people. This is never the right response. Just be aware. Be gentle as a dove and wise as a serpent. And, while you have people watching, lead them somewhere noble, somewhere better than their current reality. This is what great leaders do.

6. Learn the words of successful leadership early.

The words of a leader carry great weight. Don't make it "my" team, or your leadership won't be very successful, and no one will buy into the team except you. A leader's words should always be inclusive rather than exclusive. Become a fan of words like we, us, and ours. The more you include people, the more they'll feel included (See how simple this is?), and the more likely they'll be to suffer with you for the win. Great teams are shaped by leaders who value the input of everyone on the team.

7. Sometimes, if we believe in something enough, we must be willing to stand alone.

This a hard reality in a world which tries to force sameness and criticizes anyone who doesn't follow whatever is popular at the time. But if you do anything of value—or believe in anything strongly enough—sometimes you have to stand alone until others catch on or until you find supporters. This doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to advisers. You should. You should have mentors and be open to constructive criticism. I never make major decisions without input from others. But, don't give up what you know to be right—especially those things you sense God is calling you to do—because it isn't popular. Always be willing to admit when you are wrong. Be very humble—never arrogant or self-serving—but stand with courage when you know in your gut you're right.

8. Great things start with humble beginnings.

"Do not despise these small beginnings..." (Zech. 4:10 NLT) Don't be afraid of starting at the bottom and working your way to the top. This is still a viable option, and the reward feels greater when you build something the hard way. The greatest reward often comes when there has been plenty of sweat, tears and times of waiting. And, never underestimate the power of a moment. One moment can easily change a life.

9. You must discipline yourself to decompress.

It's not usually built into the system. During the busy seasons of life, when there's plenty of work to do and time is of the essence (which is most of our life if we set out to be leaders), you'll have to discipline yourself to rest. To re-calibrate. To refocus. To rediscover the passion that once fueled you. Perhaps to reconnect, if needed, to a deep intimacy with God.

You must discipline yourself for these things. You'll seldom have a leader above you or a system in place that forces them upon you. And decompression is life-essential. Don't neglect your soul. Never neglect your soul.

These may seem random, but in my life, they've become realities. If you don't understand all of them, you may think something about you is abnormal. But another reality I have learned is that there is something abnormal about all of us.

Enjoy the abnormal part of yourself, too. God makes no mistakes.

Ron Edmondson is the senior pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. For the original article, visit ronedmondson.org.

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