Been giving a lot of thought recently to things like motivation, drive, inspiration...things of that nature. The back story to this is trying to motivate my sons to play their sports. Those that know me, know that I have a competitive streak in me and a nearly pathologic hatred of failure. I naturally want to see that embodied in my children when they compete in sports, but also in school and life as well. I base a lot of this on my participation in high school football (many, many years ago).
When I played football, I used music to get me jacked up. Very, very hateful music. The darker the better. It validated a feeling that my team and I were warriors or gladiators and the other team deserved to die. They were to be destroyed, decimated, broken, defeated. Only because they wore a different colored jersey than we did. I didn't know those other kids. They were from another town, another school. They were not us. I am sure they felt the same toward us, so I don't feel guilty about this! On the field, in the arena, we were enemies. Off the field, we probably could've been friends (doubt it...there are some schools that just deserve to be hated 'cough coughlintoncough cough'). All that to say, some of the best memories I have as an athlete are gathering in the locker room to hear our coach give the pre-game speech. We were a legion of warriors, closing ranks and readying ourselves to do battle. Gathered before our general. Our armor in place, we awaited our marching orders. Imagine:
"You guys are not as big or fast as these guys. You guys don't hit as hard as they do. They have so much more experience than you. It's kind of like 'Bug's Life' with the ants and grasshoppers. They are the grasshoppers and you are the ants." You just need to get out there and endure and be little ants because even though they're small, they can do lots of good stuff. We may not win this game, but as long as we learn from it, did we really lose? Now lets bring it in and get out there you little ants."
I believe the words you're looking for are something near to, "dafuck did I just read"?
This exact scenario literally played out. Names and locations may have been changed to protect the inept, but nonetheless, it still happened. WTF? Do you want to win or lose? Do you want to dominate? Do you want to step on their throats and close the deal? Ants? Are you fucking kidding me? So many lessons to be learned from this, but I will only list the ones I want to.
As a leader, coach, general, manager, person in charge of others; it is your job to motivate those in your charge to believe they are the superior team or group on the proverbial field of play whether it be the football field, baseball diamond, ice, or even the business world. Do you think the commander of SEAL Team 6 gave some lame ass speech before going after bin laden? NO! Because it's bullshit and is a weak ass, limp wristed attempt to motivate. Truth be told, will our team always be the biggest, fastest, most talented team on the pitch? Not likely. As a leader, do you point it out? No, you do not. You talk up your strength. You play up the other team's weaknesses. You invoke a sense of pride in the colors you wear as a team. You invoke a sense of team; an emotion of protecting your home turf.
I remember those speeches before our games and believing in the team. We believed in our coach. We knew he believed in us! Our heart was strengthened and our resolve hardened for the impending battle. We were invincible! We could beat anyone! We were a juggernaut and were unstoppable! We were not ants. We were not playing grasshoppers. We were not David and they were not Goliath. We were the biggest, baddest, scariest motherfuckers in the valley and the shadows feared us. We were immortal. This is what I try to make my boys feel like as they are prepping for a game, a test, even some daunting task that life brings. I beg, plead, and extol anyone aspiring to lead people: Don't let them down. Lead! Lead from the front! Believe in them! Show them they can believe in you! Show them they can believe in themselves, for God's sake! Don't you dare tell my kids they are ants playing grasshoppers. Don't you dare tell them they may lose, but if they learn something, its a moral victory.
To those being "led": STOP BASING YOUR MOTIVATION ON EXTERIOR SOURCES! You must have it in your heart to believe that you can win and that you deserve to win. If you have put in the blood, sweat, and tears, the pain, the punishments, the sacrifice, the going to practice when you really need to go with family or friends; if you done the time, you deserve to win. You must have that in your heart and in your spirit. You cannot rely upon some other person to motivate you. You cannot rely on some facebook meme to be your inspiration. Your motivation must come from within; from the fire in your belly and the hate in your heart for anyone that isn't your team. It must come from knowing you've worked your ass off and put in the effort. You have to be a fucking lion. You have to know that you are the fucking king. You are the fucking beast. You are the motherfucker that will get shit done and not make excuses.
A leader's job is not just to inspire or lead, but it is to build up and create new, better leaders. Don't be so intimidated by others' ability to lead. Don't take it as a challenge to your leadership when others rise up and lead as well. It is the culmination of you successfully creating another leader, of which this world is severely lacking.
As a people, we were not brought into this world in defeat. Stop acting like it.
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