019 | THE RIGHT MINDSET

THE CAPTAIN’S ARMBAND DOESN’T MAKE YOU A LEADER.

Everyone has this fixed idea that the captain of any sports team is always the best-looking, best skilled, and longest-serving player. While this may be the case in your typical Netflix drama, this is usually far from it in the real world. In these dramatized shows, the one thing they don't talk about is how the leader is an outcast until the rest of his teammates fully buy in or are forced out.

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. A leader can be highly vocal or direct with his actions. A leader can even be a player that doesn't see much playing time. More specifically, a leader is a person who leads or commands a group. It is someone who keeps the group together through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Leading by example is often the most significant visible sign of a captain. He's the player that's always early, picks his teammates up when they are down, is attentive, and most importantly, follows the instructions from his coach and even his teammates. If done right, this captain will slowly get everyone on the team on the same page. Once that happens, you then have a team full of captains, even though only one player has the role.

The best part about this is that once everyone has that right mindset, the process repeats itself naturally. This could be because of players departing to get a new manager. However, the most beautiful way this reoccurring process works is when players realize the mindset has to grow again because the previous goals have already been met. Even though the mindset may have been good enough for the last set, you must always continue to grow if you have your eyes set on moving forward.