We often feel that to be a leader you need to be born a leader, or be drawn to leadership, or have a leader-ly position. We think of leadership as a title that has to be deserved or earned. But leaders are rarely, if ever, born. If we had to isolate a factor that creates leaders, it’s probably some combination of circumstance and persistence. (The Muse)

Long a ticket to the middle class, especially for African-Americans, they have become increasingly difficult to find. (The New York Times)

Engaging with politics may be part of our civic duty, but presidential elections can be emotionally exhausting, and the more engaged a person is, the more likely they are to become fatigued, anxious or depressed, says Dr. Margaret Wehrenberg, an Illinois-based psychologist who specializes in treating stress and anxiety. (Time)

A new study of several hundred NYU undergrads (elite students, not average 20-year-olds) found that young men and women with similar SAT scores express starkly diverging visions of their ideal job. (The Atlantic)

As we move through life, we inevitably close doors that cannot be reopened. There is the romantic partner we turned down, the child we had or did not have. But some of these doors aren’t really locked; the challenge for us is to recognize which ones still have a key within reach. If we assume a closed door will never reopen, we are building our own prisons, limiting ourselves by default and fear. (Harvard Business Review)

The Harvard Business Review recently looked at both acquired diversity (gained from experiences like living in a foreign country) and inherent diversity (traits a person is born with) and found that companies incorporating both areas "out-innovate and out-perform others." (Houston Business Journal)

Jopwell connects recruiters with minority job seekers who are underrepresented in tech and finance. (Metro)

Intel made bold steps towards diversity-oriented teams in its company, but some insiders are unhappy with the gender and ethnicity inclusion policies. (Tech Times)

The Saudi cabinet has approved sweeping economic reforms aimed at moving the country away from its dependence on oil profits. (BBC)

US President Barack Obama has called for greater European unity, describing it as a "necessity" for the world. (BBC)

Recently MONEY collaborated with Essence magazine, another Time Inc. title, analyzing more than 1,500 four-year colleges to single out the ones that offer the best value for African-American students. (Money)

Rumors about the death of Morris Brown College were greatly exaggerated. Two board members discuss their commitment and dedication to this historic black institution. (Atlanta Black Star)

Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard made headlines on Saturday when he glided a solar-powered plane onto Moffett Airfield in California after a three-day journey across the Pacific Ocean. It’s the most recent stop in an around-the-world trip that began in Abu Dhabi last spring and is intended to raise awareness about the importance of reducing carbon emissions through the use of clean energy. (The Washington Post)

Amazon has unbundled its streaming video service from Amazon Prime, directly challenging Netflix's dominance. (USA TODAY)

Federal regulators are allowing Charter Communications to move ahead with its $78.7 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable, a massive deal that would create the second-largest cable and Internet provider in the country. (The Washington Post)

What to consider if you’re thinking of leaving your job for a new venture.from - advice from Scott Rudolph, a former Wall Street private equity firm employee turned entrepreneur. (Fortune)

Dr. Bryant looks to entrepreneurs to help facilitate political change at the 2016 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit. (Black Enterprise)

The Federal Reserve is having a tough time justifying future rate hikes, Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial, said. (CNBC)

The heated presidential election campaign may be starting to cast a chill over the U.S. economy. Manufacturing companies this month reported the smallest improvement in business since 2009, with a growing number citing political uncertainty as a reason for the sluggishness. Pre-election jitters also are turning households more cautious, with consumer confidence as measured by the University of Michigan at its lowest level since September. (Bloomberg)

Getting a better deal on your old car loan is a lot easier than refinancing a mortgage. While it may not be worth the trouble for consumers with good credit who got decent financing when they bought their car, other drivers could see big savings by refinancing. (USA TODAY)

If money is all you care about, you are likely to do most anything to get it. Don’t be trapped by that mindset. (Austin Business Journal)

Research into happiness has also yielded something a little less obvious: Being better educated, richer, or more accomplished doesn’t do much to predict whether someone will be happy. In fact, it might mean someone is less likely to be satisfied with life. (The Atlantic)

Let’s face it—pursuing a passion is easier said than done. You’re stepping out of your comfort zone and trying to get good at something you may know little or nothing about. Chances are strong that it’ll take some time to turn something you care about into cold, hard profit. (The Muse)

In his new memoir, Nike founder Phil Knight worries that the United States might be losing some of the entrepreneurial edge that propelled him and fueled Nike. The students he meets are both "much smarter and more competent" than in his day but also "far more pessimistic," he writes, and a Harvard Business School study recently ranked America behind Peru in entrepreneurial spirit. (USA TODAY)

Federal regulators proposed a rule Wednesday that will adjust hundreds of thousands of physicians' Medicare payments to reward or penalize them based on how healthy they keep their patients. (USA TODAY)

The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged after meeting in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, and officials offered little new guidance for when they might be ready to raise it again. (The Washington Post)

The self-evaluations from the 75 CEOs from public and private companies surveyed for the study averaged a 7.2 out of 10. (CNBC)

Busy entrepreneurs and executives have a lot to juggle, and it can easily become overwhelming. Between writing business plans, hiring employees, managing teams, raising capital, engaging customers, and networking events, there’s a lot on a leader’s plate. (Fortune)

ABC has renewed The View for an epic 20th season, and interim showrunner Candi Carter (The Oprah Winfrey Show) has been named executive producer of the talk show. She becomes the first African American female to do so. Carter joins the ranks of top black TV showrunners such as Shonda Rhimes and Lee Daniels. (Black Enterprise)

The maker of luxury shoes and handbags -- which has been mounting a comeback as it reverses a years-long sales slump -- told analysts on Tuesday it was considering pulling goods out of certain department-store locations. (Bloomberg)