How do we want to be remembered? I think about this a lot. We have a chance to leave the world in a better place than when we found it. What does your legacy say about you?
As we get older, relationships tend to fade. Friends we knew in high school or college move on with their lives. Old teammates enter the workforce, get married, and eventually have a family of their own. You can still feel these people in your memories even though they are not around every day.
If you are still in high school or college, you have a chance to leave a warm impression on the hearts of your teammates and coaches. Whether you are the starting shortstop or you are the last guy off the bench, you have a major role on the team: Bring EVERYONE up. I have three easy steps to help you do this!
Step 1: Ask Questions
The easiest way to build a relationship with someone is to get to know them. Notice, I did not say tell them about YOU. I am sure there have been many times where you have had a conversation and, as the other person was talking, you were already thinking about what you were going to say. When you do this, you are not only not listening to what that person has to say, but you are devaluing what they have to say as well. If you can ACTIVELY LISTEN and genuinely care about their words, your conversations will be much more rewarding.
Step 2: Contact
Now I am talking pre-and-post-COVID here. High fives, “knucks”, and hugs are some of the easiest ways to build up others. We are social creatures. We are not meant to be isolated. When you walk in the room, say what’s up to people. Dap a guy up and ask how his day is going. If there is one thing I have learned in all my time around the game, it is that every person on the team is going through SOMETHING off the field. It may be something small, it may be really big. A mere hug could help make a person feel better, more included, or even get through a difficult situation.
Step 3: Show Up
This is one I know I could have done a better job of. In college I was in a relationship that I spent a ton of time on. I was with this person a lot and turned down many chances to hang with the team. Other times I was on my Xbox hanging in my room rather than being social out in the living room. If you show up consistently, you give yourself more chances to leave a positive impact. The group of guys hanging out will grow a strong bond with each other, but your link in the chain weakens. If this happens enough throughout a team, it can cause team full of pockets of friends rather than one cohesive unit.
If you can do these three things, your chances of bringing up those around you vastly improves. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter… these guys are not just some of the best players for their talent. These guys are able to make everyone around them better. They held their teammates to a high standard, but that only happened when they earned their respect. This is the legacy they have left, but how do you want to be remembered?
