Over the past 3 months I have seen a complete change in some of our athletes. I am not talking about performance increases or level of enjoyment during the workout, but rather in their elevation into a role of leadership. They have both surprised and impressed me with their effort and intensity. In this blog, I am going to talk about all of these things, but from a different perspective…the darker side of being a leader.

“Anyone who has ever served as a leader knows there is loneliness in their role…there are moments that are not shared by anyone,” says Erwin McManus in his book Chasing Daylight.  He goes on to say, “It is a privilege to be called to go first even when it means you are the first to suffer and the only one at risk.” There are moments when they are called upon to step forward, and in doing so they are alone.

Coaches sometimes get a unique perspective that their players never get to see…The birth of FEAR, the rise of COURAGE and the evolution of a LEADER!  Every day we see at least 10 groups of athlete’s (10-15 in a class – 100-150 kids). In every class, there comes a time when I need someone to demonstrate a task, a drill or an exercise. When I call someone to step forward and be my demonstration player (or Leader) I see the fear in their eyes! They step forward cautiously, not really knowing if they are going to perform up to my expectations. They are in front, everyone else is behind them and as they look side to side they are alone and only I can see the FEAR in their eyes.

A friend of mine said, “Courage is stepping forward, even though you lack the confidence to do so.” I see this every day (10 or 12 times a day) with hundreds of kids. Some rise to the occasion, others look for a reason to sink back into the crowd. But don’t think I don’t call that person forward on the next day. I think it is important to feel your heart race. I think it is important to feel what it is like to have others looking to you for answers. I think it is important for young people to know that it is okay to step forward, right or wrong, pass or fail, but just step forward…the rise of COURAGE.

Some of this may seem cruel or harsh, but it’s really not that bad. We don’t dwell on failure, we don’t dwell on success either, we move forward…regardless. We call on someone, put them on the spot, let them perform, make our point and move on.

Over the last few months, I have seen people quit on runs, not finish sets, stop and yes probably even quit. But I have also seen 1 person in a group change the entire attitude of the group and quite possibly the lives of the participants in the group. When that one person takes that step and doesn’t quit even though every part of their body is telling them to stop, they become a leader. Pretty soon, all eyes are on them, they are out in front and everyone is fighting to catch up, literally dragging the group on their backs.

And then it happens…someone passes them! And the whole group realizes the possibilities! The bar has been raised and everyone tries just a little harder. It is then that they realize their own capacity and they realize that there are no limits. All it takes is one person to step out of their comfort zone (Courage), overcome their Fear, and push the bar vertically. It’s viral! Pretty soon everyone is doing it. But its not easy, it’s lonely out there, running when everyone else is resting, doing one more set, adding 5 more pounds…

The important take home point is this…

If you want to lead, run so that people will chase you, but not so far that they lose sight of you. It’s lonely out in front, and the rewards are not always external. Some of the best rewards are the ones that come from beating your own expectations. Those are the victories you share with only yourself…and sometimes that is the most rewarding celebration of all.