Life is a Team Sport

“[On that field], you need 11 guys to do 1 thing, not 1 guy trying to do 11 things.” - Cam Newton

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” - Michael Jordan

“Tennis is just a game, family is forever.” - Serena Williams

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You cannot achieve greatness alone in life.

Even in situations where you are playing an individualized game (e.g. chess, golf, bowling, stock picking, etc.) you still have to learn from others, grow from coaching, and have friends and family beside you to keep you balanced. You also have to learn from the competition. You have overcome that other person or organization in front of you or that inner person in your mind. Healthy competition will drive you to be better. Unhealthy competition will drive you mad.

Every great person I know has the following on their team:

1. A trainer - someone to help you prepare and recover
2. A coach - someone to put you in a position to succeed
3. A role model - someone that is a blueprint for your life and/or profession
4. A teacher - someone that gives you instruction on how to practice
5. A cheerleader - someone that promotes you even when you are not in the room
6. A protector - someone that keeps unnecessary negativity away from you
7. A counterbalance - someone that keeps you grounded
8. A confidant - someone to keep your privacy and for you to be vulnerable with
9. A critic - someone to give you feedback and point out when there is an opportunity for you to grow
10. A rival - someone you want to overcome, they drive you to be your best
11. A person to protect - someone that makes you think of the world outside of yourself

People can play multiple roles on your team and it is important to have every role filled in order to unlock your full potential. Some important things to note about roles on your team:

• Role models do not have to be living nor do they need to be famous or successful in your given profession. Look to historical figures or your family for potential role models.
• Protectors can’t stand to see harm come your way and actively block that negative energy from your life. This often happens when you do not even know it. Take care of them because they shoulder a great load in your life. Also set boundaries because they could begin to start blocking opportunities or positive growth from you.
• Critics play a role on your team because you need feedback to continue to improve. When you get to a certain level of success, they might be the only ones willing to give you the truth. Listen to critics at regular intervals but don’t live by their criticisms.
• Rivals are great to have as you develop and you do not need to hate your rival. Instead, you can appreciate what they bring to the table while desiring to do more. At some point, the only rival you will eventually have will be yourself. You’ll learn to overcome yourself daily and measure yourself against your past performance. As you change seasons, you’ll find new rivals to push you forward. Much like role models, rivals do not have to be living nor do they need to be famous or successful in your given profession.
• You will never know your full power until you have someone to protect. This person will give you inspiration, focus, and strength that you never even knew existed inside of you prior.

Think of the team you have assembled to date and how they fit into these roles. If you find that you have a role that is missing on your team, think about who you might fill it within the coming weeks.