The greatest teams are those whose team members, give, sacrifice, and play for each other. This is true not just in sports, but in business, family, and life.
All the teams in your life will greatly improve with teamwork. And not only will the team function better, but each person has a better chance of reaching their individual goals.
As Zig Ziglar said, “You can achieve everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
It’s easy to become consumed with our own goals and desires, and thereby place the team second. However greatness lies in not just accomplishing great things for yourself, but seeing that your influence and leadership inspires others to reach all of their goals and dreams.
Sometimes, working with others may slow you down. At times it may be frustrating knowing you could go faster on your own. However, to go far you really do need a team!
One of the greatest examples of togetherness, sacrifice and teamwork I’ve ever seen was that of the Brownlee brothers in the Triathlon World Series this past week. The two brothers were coming down to the final meters when Alistair, who was in the lead, began to stumble, and lose his orientation. He was having a heat stroke.
His brother, Johnny, came up behind him and helped him to cross the finish line. If you haven’t seen this amazing video, here it is:
https://youtu.be/nRKLCEb9nZE
What an incredible moment for these two brothers! And what an inspiration for each of us to remember the truth that if you want to go far, you always go together.
Here’s what Johnny said after the race. “Alistair had the chance to win but threw that away to help me out. I’ll be thankful for the rest of my life. Obviously it takes a very strong and good person to do that. Sometimes in sport we talk about winning being the most important thing in the world. A lot of times it is, but maybe helping a brother out was more important.”
Just a few weeks prior, in the Olympics at Rio, Alistair won the Gold in the triathlon, and Johnny, coming in second, took Silver.
It’s obvious these two are for each other. Instead of competing against each other, they complement each other, with each having the other person’s back. Alistair displayed the epitome of great sportsmanship with his sacrifice and spirit of togetherness.
How would the teams in your life be different if you went about life with this same kind of attitude? Would it change the culture at your work? Would your family start behaving differently? Would your spouse respond to you differently. Would the church you attend have a different vibe?
Think of all the teams in your life, and consider how you could be the one to spark change.
Maybe you need to slow down, and make sure you are taking everyone with you. Decide if you want to go fast…or if you want to go far! Think of all the qualities of a great teammate…and then determine to be that kind of person!
“Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.”
-John F. Kennedy
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” -Napoleon Hill
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -John Wooden
It’s amazing how much can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.” -John Wooden
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” -Henry Ford