Who are you becoming?
Most of us spend a great deal of time thinking about what we want to achieve.
The promotion.
The championship.
The business.
The financial security.
The recognition.
Far fewer of us spend time thinking about the person we must become in order to achieve those things.
Every decision we make is shaping that person.
Every habit.
Every sacrifice.
Every excuse.
Every act of discipline.
Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly building ourselves.
The question is not whether you are becoming something.
The question is whether you are becoming someone intentionally.
My father was a high school track, cross-country, and basketball coach.
Over the course of his career, he won his share of league and division championships.
Like any coach, I am sure he was proud of those accomplishments.
What I remember most, however, was a plaque that hung on the wall of his office.
It read:
“The true testament of a coach is not his won-loss record, but what becomes of his players.”
That plaque was more than a decoration.
It was his philosophy.
And he lived it every day.
My father never sacrificed his principles or values to win a game.
He understood that very few of his athletes would compete in the Olympics or play professional sports.
What they would carry with them forever were the lessons they learned as members of a team.
As far back as I can remember, former athletes regularly came back to visit.
Former players returned to practices.
Many became coaches themselves.
In fact, six of eleven children in our family eventually coached in some capacity.
That is a legacy far greater than any championship trophy.
The older I get, the more I appreciate the wisdom behind that plaque.
As leaders, we are constantly tempted to pursue the shortest path to a result.
We are rewarded for short-term performance.
Pulled into the tyranny of the urgent.
Pressured to sacrifice tomorrow for today.
Great leaders resist that temptation.
They understand that leadership is not measured solely by quarterly results, annual goals, or temporary victories.
It is measured by what becomes of the people they lead.
That requires discipline.
The discipline to stay true to your values.
The discipline to focus on long-term development.
The discipline to invest in people even when the return isn’t immediately visible.
Which brings me back to my father’s plaque.
At the end of our lives, very few people will remember our titles.
Few will remember our awards.
Few will remember our statistics.
But they will remember who we helped them become.
Have you found yourself blinded by urgency and tempted to sacrifice your values?
What has that cost you?
How can improving your discipline help get you back on track?
