The Team Culture Killer
Hello Champion,
“Don’t feel entitled to anything you haven’t sweat or struggled for.” - Marian Wright Edelman
As an athlete, your mindset is everything. It is important to remind yourself that no matter what your role is on your team, you have to earn your place. Once you earn your place, you have to continue to show up and show why you deserve your role.
Entitlement is the idea that you are deserving of something that you didn’t put in the work and effort for. It is easy to become complacent once you earn a key role on a team. Athletes with the wrong mindset can get away from their strong work ethic and expect to keep their playing time because they earned it.
The reality of the world is that you have to continue to perform at a high level to keep your job. This can be applied to the sports and the business world. If an employee is not performing at their best, they can be replaced.
Sometimes, your performance is going to struggle. If you get into a slump, the best way to get back to performing at your best is to focus on your mindset. Instead of feeling like you are entitled to your place, focus on the habits and work ethic that earned your place to begin with.
Here are three ways to avoid an entitled mindset:
Strive to live in the present
Show gratitude for what you have
Don’t compare yourself to others
Coaches and supervisors work in a results-oriented business. Focus on the details of today and practice excellence in everything that you do. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, celebrate the small wins and build momentum.
Gratitude is a foundational piece of your mindset. A mentally strong athlete does their best to not tie their self-worth to their accomplishments. Good and bad times are going to happen, so it is important to have a positive perspective and push through the hard times with grace. Be grateful for the opportunities, successes, and lessons in your life.
Every person’s journey is different. There are many different factors that make you the unique individual you are. Do not let someone else’s successes bring down your own mindset. Support their successes and be patient to earn yours.
Finally, it is important to remember that a sense of entitlement can bring down a team. In a winning team culture, every player needs to continue to work for their place and devote their work to the betterment of the team.
Be grateful for the journey and continue to bring your best everyday.
The WTMG Team