In some games and on some teams, you are the star. In some games and on some teams, you aren't. The best teams have great teammates. Great teammates support their teammates no matter who gets the shine. Great teammates know that they always shine when they have the right attitude, when they do the right thing, and when they are great people. Great teammates encourage, motivate, and inspire their teammates.
Great teammates know you can have everything you want if you will just help enough people get what they want.
Great teammates also know that it is better to compete WITH their competition instead of against their competition.
Coach K, the legendary basketball coach at Duke, tells every player that comes into his program, "Each of you run your very own race, and collectively we run a team race."
One year, Coach K signed the high school player of the year, Shane Battier, and the number 18 player in the country, Elton Brand. Elton was more ready to play than Shane, and by the end of his sophomore year, Elton was the national player of the year and the #1 pick in the NBA draft. He had taken the spotlight away from Shane. If Shane was running Elton's race, he would have been disappointed, questioned himself, and might have stopped working hard.
Two years later, Shane was named the national player of the year, and he was drafted #6 in the NBA draft.
Have fun, focus on getting better, and run your own race.
The good thing about social media is that you can measure yourself against the best players at your age in the country. This can help you push yourself. The tough thing about social media is that you can fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others in a negative way.
Some athletes start fast and finish slow, while some start fast and finish fast. Some athletes start slow and finish fast, while some start slow and finish slow.
The word compete comes from the word competere, which means to strive together.
Do you run faster running by yourself or by racing with someone else?
We need other people to push us to a level that we cannot get to on our own.
In some games and on some teams, you are the star. In some games and on some teams, you aren't. If you can find ways to cheer on and celebrate your teammates, even when and especially when their success outshines yours, you will be the ultimate teammate, the ultimate friend, and an even better person.
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