 Fighting AnticipationI’ve never been a golf guy. Time and money were, and still are, big detractors. Nonetheless, I have always respected the mental and physical skills it requires. Like in most professions, the best just look different. And, when you’re known throughout the world by a single name, you’re definitely different.
He stood over a six-foot putt on the 18th green at Augusta National in 2005, needing to sink it to force a playoff in the Masters. The crowd of 40,000 was dead silent. This was the moment that separated champions from contenders, and everyone knew it. But as he later described it, something unexpected happened just before he hit the ball: his mind went completely quiet. For most golfers, this is the moment anticipation takes over. The trophy ceremony, imagining the disappointment of missing, calculating what this putt means for their career and their bank account … the mind leaps to ‘what ifs’. But he was different. He didn't think about winning the Masters. He didn't think about the roar of the crowd. He thought only about the mechanics of his stroke, the line of the putt, and the feeling of the putter in his hands. "I became smaller and smaller until there was nothing but the ball and the hole," he said later. The putt dropped center cup, and he erupted in celebration, but the real victory had happened in his mind seconds earlier. He had mastered the art of staying relentlessly present. His ability to fight anticipation, to resist the mental time travel that destroys performance under pressure, became the foundation of his dominance. He understood that excellence lives in the present moment, and anticipation is its greatest enemy. Tiger was clearly the best. Why Should We Care? Tiger's mastery of present-moment focus reveals a critical truth - anticipation is the silent killer of excellence. When we allow our minds to race ahead to future outcomes, both positive and negative, we rob ourselves of the mental resources needed to perform at our peak right now. Leaders who get caught up in anticipating others' reactions, imagining worst-case scenarios, or prematurely celebrating potential victories consistently underperform compared to those who can stay locked into the immediate task at hand. This principle becomes even more crucial when we consider how anticipation affects decision-making under pressure. Leaders living in future consequences often make conservative, fear-based choices rather than optimal ones. They hedge their bets, worry about potential criticism, and hesitate when decisive action is needed. Leaders who fight anticipation and stay present, on the other hand, see opportunities others miss, make clearer judgments, and execute with precision. For individuals pursuing excellence, learning to fight anticipation unlocks a level of performance that feels almost supernatural to others. When we’re fully present, we notice subtle details that anticipation blinds us to. We respond rather than react. We make adjustments in real-time instead of being paralyzed by what might happen next. This isn't about ignoring the future - it's about refusing to let future possibilities hijack our present-moment effectiveness. The most excellent performers understand that the future is created through a series of perfectly executed present moments. REAL TALK - Action Steps The battle against anticipation requires specific practices that train our mind to anchor itself in the present moment, especially when stakes are highest. Here are a few ideas to make this approach a reality:
The leaders and performers who consistently achieve excellence have learned something that others struggle to grasp: the future unfolds through the quality of our present-moment attention, not through the intensity of our anticipation. Excellence isn't about predicting the future perfectly - it's about engaging so completely with the present that we create the future we want. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!
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 Compassion Follows AwarenessI’m a huge Patch Adams fan. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. While the movie doesn’t match real-life exactly, it does offer a few powerful insights into the true genius of Hunter "Patch" Adams.
Patch was a suicidal college student who voluntarily admitted himself to a mental hospital in 1969. What he found there fundamentally changed how he would eventually practice medicine for the rest of his life. The psychiatric ward was cold, sterile, and run with military efficiency. Patients were merely numbers and human connection was actively discouraged. Patch, a patient at the time, watched his peers shuffle through their days like zombies, medicated into compliance but starved of any genuine human interaction. A key turning point for Patch came when he met fellow patient Arthur Mendelson. Arthur was an elderly patient who constantly asked questions. For weeks, everyone - doctors, nurses, patients - dismissed Arthur as incoherent, responding to his constant questions with frustration until they eventually just ignored him. Patch, however, became aware of something others missed: Arthur wasn't asking random questions. He was desperately trying to connect. So Patch started answering - as if Arthur's questions mattered. After weeks of careful observation and intentional compassion, Patch’s reply finally garnered a smile from Arthur - the first since Patch had known him. In that moment, Patch realized that his awareness of Arthur, the person - not the patient, had unlocked both his own compassion and Arthur's ability to connect. This experience became the foundation of Patch's relational approach to medicine - the understanding that healing happens not just through treatment protocols, but through the profound act of truly seeing and caring for another human being. Why Should We Care? Patch's revelation highlights a fundamental truth: compassion and awareness are interdependent - each strengthens the other. Without awareness, compassion becomes shallow and ineffective - we offer generic comfort instead of addressing real needs. Without compassion, awareness becomes cold data - we see what's happening but fail to understand what it means to the people involved. The most effective leaders understand that these aren't separate skills to develop independently, but they're interconnected capabilities that amplify each other's impact. This connection becomes crucial when we consider the daily pressures we face as leaders. Under stress, it's natural to retreat into task-focused thinking, treating people like variables in an equation rather than complex individuals with unique motivations and concerns. But leaders who maintain both awareness and compassion during difficult times don't just preserve team morale - they unlock insights that other approaches miss. They notice when a high performer is struggling before it affects their work. They anticipate when group dynamics are shifting and address the emotional undercurrents that drive team behaviors. For individuals pursuing excellence, the awareness-compassion connection offers a pathway to influence and impact that is far bigger than mere competence. When you develop the awareness to truly see others - their struggles, aspirations, and unspoken needs - and combine it with genuine compassion, you become someone others truly trust. This creates a multiplier effect where your success becomes intertwined with helping others achieve theirs. THIS is leadership. REAL TALK - Action Steps The bridge between awareness and compassion isn't built through grand gestures - it's constructed through small, intentional practices that gradually expand your capacity to see and care simultaneously.
The most profound leadership transformations happen when awareness and compassion stop being things you do and start being who you are. Excellence becomes not just about achieving your own potential, but about creating conditions where everyone around you can achieve theirs. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  Normalizing ExcellenceLet’s talk Kobe! He’s at the top of his game, the apex of his career, and he’s alone in a gym working on the same fundamental footwork drills he’s done thousands of times before. Oh, yea - and it’s 4 AM. For his teammates it wasn’t just his dedication that stood out, but how routine it seemed. While other players treated early morning workouts as special occasions that required extra motivation and mental preparation, Kobe had normalized this behavior to the point where not showing up at 4 AM would have felt strange. He didn't need to psych himself up or rely on fleeting inspiration; this routine had become his default setting.
Tim Grover, who trained both Kobe and Jordan, observed that elite athletes don't just do difficult things - they make difficult things feel normal. They create systems and environments where behaviors that would exhaust most people become as automatic as brushing their teeth. Kobe's 4 AM workouts weren't acts of heroic willpower - they were Tuesday. This normalization extended beyond himself to how he influenced his teammates. When new players joined the Lakers, they quickly learned that Kobe's standard wasn't something to aspire to occasionally - it was the baseline expectation. Players who initially balked at the intensity found themselves adapting because the culture made excellence feel inevitable rather than extraordinary. Why Should We Care? The power of normalizing difficult behaviors lies in our ability to remove the emotional friction that prevents most people from achieving consistency. When we treat challenging activities as special events that require enormous willpower, we create mental barriers that make them unsustainable. Every workout becomes a mountain to climb, every difficult conversation becomes a heroic act, and every challenging goal requires us to summon superhuman motivation. But leaders who achieve sustained excellence understand that willpower is finite - it's our systems and normalized behaviors that create lasting results. The exact same principle applies to leadership development. The best leaders don't inspire their teams through occasional grand gestures or motivational speeches - they create environments where high performance becomes the natural way of operating. They normalize behaviors like giving direct feedback, taking risks, and maintaining high standards not through force or charisma, but by making these actions feel like the obvious thing to do. When difficult behaviors become normalized, they stop being difficult. The psychological energy that used to go toward overcoming resistance can now be channeled toward innovation and growth. For individuals pursuing excellence, normalizing positive but challenging behaviors is perhaps the most practical path to transformation. Instead of relying on bursts of motivation or waiting for the perfect moment to change, you can gradually shift your identity by making small, difficult things feel routine. This approach recognizes that excellence isn't about occasional peak performance - it's about raising your baseline. When showing up early, preparing thoroughly, or having tough conversations becomes as natural as checking your email, you've created a foundation for sustained high performance that doesn't depend on external circumstances. REAL TALK - Action Steps Here are a few simple, actionable ideas for normalizing excellence in your world:
The most powerful leadership development strategy isn't learning to do extraordinary things extraordinarily well; it's learning to do difficult things so routinely that they stop being difficult. In this way, what seems impossible to others becomes inevitable for us. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  Adapt & OvercomeIt’s 1997 and Reed Hastings is in shock. He has just been charged a $40 late fee for returning Apollo 13 to Blockbuster six weeks late. He is convinced that the entire model for video rental is a disaster. It isn’t just about avoiding the fees, however it is admittedly a big part of his motivation to find a solution. This experience needs fixing and Reed Hastings is just the man to do it. His solution? Netflix, initially a DVD-by-mail service that simply eliminates late fees.
By 2007, Netflix had shipped its billionth DVD and seems to have found its niche. Blockbuster’s late fee model had been debunked and a successful, profitable business had been born. Hastings, however, had no intention of stopping there. While their DVD business was still booming, they made a decision that seemed almost suicidal at the time - they began investing heavily in streaming technology. There were indications that the internet may make physical media obsolete, but choosing to invest in something that would virtually cannibalize their profitable DVD operation seemed questionable at best. In 2011 Netflix announced that it would split its DVD and streaming services - raising prices significantly - customers revolted. The company lost 800,000 subscribers in a single quarter, and its stock price fell by 75%. Experts were sure of Netflix’s demise. According to them, Netflix had moved too fast and alienated their core customer base. But Hastings and his team never wavered in their conviction that streaming was the future. His team wasn’t done there though - they doubled down on their belief in the change. Rather than simply licensing content from traditional media companies, Netflix began producing its own original programming in 2013. This transformed Netflix from a technology company that delivered content into a media company that created it. Today, Netflix has fundamentally reshaped how the world consumes entertainment. The company that started with DVDs-by-mail now stands as one of the most influential media companies on the planet. Why Should We Care? Netflix's transformation illustrates a fundamental truth about leadership and excellence in today’s world: the most dangerous position isn't being behind the curve - it's being comfortable at the top of the current curve. The best leaders are willing to disrupt their own success before someone else does. The leaders who create lasting impact recognize that adaptability isn’t reactive - it’s proactive. They're the ones who continuously evolve their approach as circumstances change. This forward-thinking adaptability is what transforms companies from industry participants into industry leaders and individuals from victims of mediocrity to champions of excellence. Excellence is for those who can sense inflection points before they become obvious to everyone else. They view their past successes not as proof they've found the right formula, but as evidence they have the capability to succeed again, regardless of the circumstances. Netflix created an environment where questioning the status quo wasn't just tolerated but expected. This adaptable culture enabled them to make massive pivots without losing their core identity or mission. They remained focused on delivering entertainment value to customers, even as the methods for doing so transformed completely. REAL TALK - Action Steps Change can be scary, but we should also recognize it’s vital. Here are a few ideas to help you adapt to adapting:
In a world where change is the only constant, your capacity to adapt isn't just a competitive advantage - it's the pathway to sustained excellence. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  Right NowIt’s an average Wednesday night in July. Betsy and I have just gotten back from a walk with the family dog, Izzy. I say the family dog, but really she’s my dog. At least now, she’s my dog. That wasn’t always the case. She first entered the family as a birthday present for our kids, Ally and Gabe. But, that was seven years ago and she was an adorable, squishy basset hound puppy. They played with her and loved on her - until they moved out. That’s when she became my dog.
In any case, the walk went well, aside from the time Izzy sat down and refused to walk. Not surprisingly a belly-rub generated the perfect amount of energy to make it back to the house - just in time for a facetime call from Ally & Gabe. These are regular occurrences now. I assume my usual position - scrunched into our striped chair beside Betsy to partake in the conversation. We listen to their updates intently, trying to gather all the information we can. We’ve realized what they don’t say is just as important as what they do at this point. And, how they say it provides far more information than the actual words they choose to use. Gabe loves one word answers so follow-up questions are essential. Ally loves thousand word answers, no follow-up questions needed. We offer guidance here and there, but more than anything we joke, laugh and smile. Betsy and I look forward to the calls as much as anything in our day. When the calls are over, we usually recap them with each other - what stood out, how are they, how could we help? And, we both experience a swelling feeling of gratitude. Grateful for our kids. Grateful for our good fortune. And, grateful for right now. Why Should We Care? True greatness rarely looks dramatic - in sports, leadership, or life. It’s found in showing up with intentionality, doing so consistently, and remaining present, regardless of the circumstances or distractions available. Excellence has a lot more to do with the ordinary than the extraordinary. As leaders, we are drawn to results - the KPIs, the recognition, the applause. But excellence isn’t built in moments of spotlight - it’s forged our smallest of choices. How we listen, how we respond, and whether we pause long enough to absorb what’s unspoken is the life blood of excellence. Seeing meaning beyond words is discernment at its core, a skill every exceptional leader must cultivate. Leadership honors the moment we’re in. It doesn’t dwell on what could have been or obsess over what might be. It lives fully in the present moment. The truth is we’ll never be younger than we are right now. In thirty years we would trade every award we’ve ever won and bonus we’ve ever earned to be where we are right this second. This should make something very clear for us: achievement and money are not the most important things. The present moment is. REAL TALK - Action Steps It’s one thing to acknowledge the importance of being present. It’s another thing to intentionally live in a way that makes that possible. Here are a few ideas to prioritize right now:
Be present … appreciate the right now. It enhances our gratitude, sharpens our perspective, and reminds us to value others not for what they achieve, but for who they are. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  The Quiet Power of SimpleStories about legendary personalities grow with time. Like Paul Bunyon’s bounding strength and size, the tales often become bigger than life. One of those legends, at least in the coaching world, is John Wooden. His ten national championships in twelve seasons garners the most attention from pundits and fans, but it’s what his success was built on that most miss out on.
After eleven years as a high school coach, Wooden jumped into the college ranks at Indiana State. He was immediately successful and parlayed that success into an opportunity at UCLA. While UCLA is held in high regard now, the program he took over had never won a national championship and had only two conference championships in its eighteen years of existence before Wooden’s arrival. He would win conference titles in each of his first four seasons. Wooden, who was over twenty years into his coaching career before winning his first national championship, possessed a level of clarity that immediately distinguished him from other coaches. No doubt perspective on life was instilled by his parents - Wooden carried a note given to him by his father at all times that read: Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. Along the same lines, Wooden’s UCLA teams operated by three simple rules: No profanity. Don’t criticize a teammate. Be on time. Very clear, very simple. Wooden’s spiritual life was the biggest driving force in his life. His conviction in, and commitment to, his faith created a powerful fulcrum in which daily decisions that other coaches struggled with were made easy. This clarity carried over to all aspects of his leadership with his team. Everything was grounded in the basics. Most have heard stories of Wooden’s first meeting with players. He began his talk, every season, by demonstrating how to properly put on socks and tie shoes. Blisters, he reasoned, would result from poorly worn socks and could sideline a player for days. And if you can’t play, you can’t contribute. Wooden’s commitment to simplicity wasn’t just a coaching philosophy - it was score belief. He knew that clarity, consistency, and attention to detail were the bedrock of sustained success. Why Should We Care? In a society obsessed with the next new thing and of the belief that more is always better, Wooden’s legacy reminds us that simplicity is not a limitation, but a superpower. His success wasn’t built on a fad of the times. It was built on his core beliefs and purpose. Wooden consistently chose the simple over the complex, the foundational over the extras. Wooden understood something that many leaders miss - confusion is costly. When values are vague and priorities multiply, individuals drift from their primary purpose and teams fracture. By contrast, Wooden built his teams on a foundation of three simple behavioral rules and a deeply personal moral compass. That clarity didn’t dilute his leadership - it amplified it. Simplicity gave his players freedom - not to do whatever they wanted, but to focus fully on what mattered most. Wooden didn’t need complexity to achieve greatness. He needed courage to hold fast to what he valued most. REAL TALK - Action Steps Simplicity doesn’t just happen - it’s a discipline, a daily decision to pursue clarity. Whether you’re leading a team or striving for personal excellence, here’s a few ideas for staying simple when it matters most:
Coach Wooden’s superpower wasn’t his basketball intelligence, his charisma, or his work ethic. It was his conviction. He taught, coached, and led with a steady hand rooted in purpose and simplicity. And his legacy endures not just because of his championships, but because of his principles that have outlasted the trends. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  Letting GoAs the story goes, many years ago, a young monk was struggling to live with the discipline and intentionality he felt his quiet, mountain monastery expected. Despite his devotion, his mind raced constantly - filled with worry, ambition, regret, and a thousand daily concerns he couldn’t seem to silence. One evening, unable to contain his frustration, he approached the elder master during their daily tea.
“I’m exhausted,” the young monk said, his voice strained. “I wake up trying to do everything right - fulfill every duty, manage my thoughts, serve others - and still, I feel like I’m failing.” The master nodded gently and handed the monk a teacup. Slowly, he began to pour steaming tea from the kettle. The cup filled, reached the brim, then overflowed - spilling the hot tea onto the monk’s hands and lap. “Ow!” the monk cried, jumping back. “Why did you do that?” The master looked at him with calm eyes and said, “This is your life. This cup is your mind. You carry too much - too many things that don’t matter, don’t serve you. Until you learn to let go, nothing new or meaningful will ever find space.” The young monk stared at the cup, and for the first time, saw his exhaustion not as a failure - but as a signal. A signal that there were things he was clinging to that needed to be let go. Why Should We Care? In leadership and personal growth, we often mistake holding on for strength. We cling to habits, responsibilities, or mindsets that once served us - but now only hold us back. True leadership isn't just about doing more - it’s about knowing what to keep and what to release. It’s the quiet power of recognizing the difference between what is meaningful and what is simply noise. This is the heart of discernment. Discernment is what separates reactive leadership from intentional impact. The best leaders aren’t distracted by every fire - they know which ones to put out and which ones to let burn out on their own. They filter the urgent from the essential. That clarity not only creates better decisions - it creates space too: for innovation, for trust, for growth. And for those of us pursuing personal excellence, this same skill is vital. You can’t reach peak performance while carrying emotional clutter or chasing every shiny object. Letting go, then, becomes more than a strategy - it becomes a confidence-building, validating statement: I know what matters, and I choose to invest my energy there. It’s this commitment to focus that transforms potential into progress. REAL TALK - Action Steps Letting go sounds poetic, but it’s also practical - and necessary if we want to be at our best as often as possible. Like so many other things, if left to chance we’ll just keep collecting. Here’s a few ideas on how to start letting go:
Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  "It wasn't your baby."The Andes Mountains are brutal. At the foot of the mountains, a group of raiders swept through a remote village in the middle of the night resulting in complete chaos, as one would imagine. They killed livestock, ravaged homes, and even kidnapped a baby. The child’s mother watched helplessly as they disappeared into the dark peaks of the mountains with her infant. When dawn finally arrived, several of the village leaders gathered in hopes of a recovery mission. Armed and determined, they headed into the mountains to track the raiders and bring the child back home. But, after days of scouring the steep, dangerous mountainside, they returned empty-handed. Exhausted and defeated, they could do nothing but apologize to the heart-broken mother.
Then, quietly, the mother set off alone. No packed supplies. No ceremony. Armed with nothing but a single purpose. Days passed, and just as hope in the village began to fade, she returned. Dirty, bruised, and weary … with her baby cradled on her back, alive and safe. Stunned, the villagers gathered around her. Their joy quickly turned to disbelief. The leaders of the village, joyful yet embarrassed, asked with genuine amazement “How did you do what we couldn’t?” Her reply was simple: “It wasn’t your baby.” Why Should We Care? The story isn’t folklore - it’s leadership in its rawest form. The difference wasn’t strength, skill, or experience. It was purpose. When something matters deeply to you - when it’s your baby - you’ll find a way through things others find impossible. In the world of leadership and personal growth, that kind of clarity and resolve is rare. But it’s the key to doing hard things consistently. And, leadership is full of hard things. Purpose drives excellence. It transforms effort into grit and fear into resolve. Leaders with purpose don’t need to shout - they move with intention, and others follow. Teams led by a shared purpose don’t just perform; they believe. And belief is the fuel that carries people up mountains they never imagined they could climb - or would need to climb. REAL TALK - Action Steps We don’t drift upstream. If we want to consistently tap into the true power of purpose, we have to become intentional. Here’s a few ideas on where to start:
The mother’s purpose gave her a strength beyond endurance, clarity beyond fear, and resilience no obstacle could conquer. What’s yours doing for you? Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  Whitewashed TombstonesMickey had his name on the door, the coolest sweat suit, and exuded the confidence that made parents trust him with their son's future. On recruiting calls, he spoke with authority about his knowledge of the next level and the importance of the parent-coach relationship. His resume gleamed with high profile recommendations, coaching accolades at every stop, and the numerous achievements of each player he had coached.
But behind his charming smile, Mickey was drowning. He hadn't actually had the time to watch any recruiting film in several months, relying instead on his assistant's summaries and rankings published by the various media outlets. When the time for recruiting calls came, he flipped on the charm and offered vague reassurances while avoiding any meaningful connection. Mickey never ventured beneath the surface of relationships and rarely stepped outside his comfort zone to even explore his own original thoughts. The façade finally crumbled when his team found itself in the midst of a four game losing streak. Mickey was overwhelmed by the multitude of issues that seemed to spring up out of nowhere, his confident demeanor evaporated as it became clear he didn't understand himself or his own system. Within weeks, the four games turned into twelve. A closer look by his administration revealed his incompetence, and his carefully constructed reputation turned to ash. Mickey had spent so much energy maintaining the appearance of a successful coach that he'd never actually developed the skills to be one. Everything looked great from the outside, but the inside was absent of any true substance - kind of like a whitewashed tombstone. Why Should We Care? There are a lot of people whitewashing their tombstones. And, a lot of them are leaders, or at least in a position of leadership. The danger, I hope you can see, is that the leader's lack of substance is no longer misleading a single person, but an entire group. The human, and often financial, toll can compound quickly. A breach of trust is at the core of the charade. Leadership effectiveness depends almost entirely on trust, and nothing destroys trust faster than being exposed as incompetent or inauthentic. Few leaders ever recover. Teams become cynical, top performers leave, and cultures suffer lasting damage. Prioritizing appearing knowledgeable over actually being knowledgeable not only violates trust, but it propels a leader into a vicious cycle of becoming defensive, risk-averse, and isolated - exactly the opposite of what effective leadership requires. They spend more energy protecting their image than serving their people. REAL TALK - Action Steps Leaders set the tone for their culture. When leaders prioritize appearance over substance, they encourage their teams to do the same. This creates organizations full of people focused on looking good rather than being good - a recipe for mediocrity and eventual failure. Here are a few ideas to help you avoid it:
Leadership often comes down to this simple choice: will you spend your energy becoming someone worth following, or just appearing to be? Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!  The Humility of GrowthCuts were made two days ago and guys are transitioning into the ‘storming’ phase of team development. It’s an onslaught for each position and role. Our group is made up of players with varying levels of experience, which becomes apparent as the practices begin to stack up.
Our young players, two sophomores, are extremely talented and hungry to improve. They ask questions and are always engaged in whatever is going on in practice, whether it will pertain to them or not. They care clearly about the team based on their willingness to point out the strengths of their teammates. Their youth breathes life into the group. Our veterans, four juniors and four seniors, are experienced and confident, but a few of our coaches have started to question their coachability and desire to improve. A few of them have not been receptive to instructions from our assistant coaches. This is a significant concern because it points to a larger issue - a lack of humility. And, humility is one of the most consistent attributes of any successful team. The issues were addressed individually with players and as the season unfolded, the same guys who were not open to feedback from assistant coaches were the same guys who became stale and stagnant in their growth. And, ultimately, their position and role reflected it. Why Should We Care? What does it say about you as a leader if you are only willing to open your mind to situations that mirror your own? If you neglect the vast opportunities to learn and grow, what are you conveying to the people watching you? How will you ever expand your knowledge, broaden your impact, or maximize the potential of your team? Every leader acknowledges the value of continual growth. However, acknowledging and acting on it are not the same thing. A leader passionate for improvement always displays a few clear habits: they work hard, prepare, and challenge themselves. Think of those as table stakes. With a deeper look, we must consider the opportunities for growth we seek out and the ones we dismiss. Afterall, learning will be drastically limited if it is restricted only to happenstance. As such, what we are intentionally watching, reading, and listening to will provide the primary source for our growth. And, everything we dismiss is a missed opportunity. An interesting observation from the best leaders I’ve ever seen is an irrepressible effort to learn from anyone they encounter. Never does it cross their minds that someone does not offer them the opportunity to learn. Every encounter is a prized learning experience, every person is a potential mentor. Humility affords us this perspective, just as a lack of humility robs it from us. REAL TALK - Action Steps Humility is within us all - deeply hidden in some, but still there. If we have a choice, of course we choose people already displaying it. However, there are times as leaders we are tasked with drawing the humility out of others. Here are a few ideas for tugging on the right strings:
They say ignorance is bliss. I think self-reliance is too. That is, until it’s not. And, when that switch flips … it’s anything but bliss. The humility to value the potential growth in every experience is central to maximizing ourselves and our leadership impact. Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here! |
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