Last week I posted something on Twitter that sparked an interesting conversation. (*I posted it on Facebook too.) The post was a photo accompanied by the quote that read: “Good teammates value the journey and not just the destination.”
The longer you live, the more you start to really understand the truth in this statement. If the destination—accomplishing your goal—is the endgame, you will inevitably find yourself engulfed in dissatisfaction, win or lose.
Some of our social media followers wondered how valuing the journey is tied to being a good teammate. I thought it might be worthwhile devoting this week’s blog to that topic.
If you fail to reach your destination, you’re likely to experience resentment, disappointment, maybe even regret. You’ll question if the effort was worth it. You’ll wonder if there was a better use of your time and energy.
If reaching your destination takes too long or doesn’t come easily, you’ll find yourself perpetually frustrated and stressed, or worse, downright miserable. The feeling of never arriving can be overwhelming. You’ll also start to wonder if there is a better use of your time and energy.
If you do reach your destination, there will certainly be an initial feeling of elation, or perhaps relief. But then you’ll wonder, what’s next? Now what do you do?
Ironically, achieving your goal can often cause you the greatest frustrations. You raised the bar, and now you’re left trying to figure out the next mountain to climb. Some victories are hard to top.
Obviously, this scenario can also lead to frustration and stress. It can cause you to want to lean on your laurels. Do you really want to go through that again? Is climbing the next mountain worth the aggravation? The repetitive cycle can be exhausting.
The reality is that all three of the aforementioned outcomes can prevent you from being a good teammate.
Setting goals is great way to move your life forward. It’s a great way to achieve. But it can’t be all about the destination. At some point, you have to appreciate the journey. Otherwise, your dissatisfaction—in whatever form it takes—will cause you to be jaded.
You can’t be a good teammate if you’re jaded, or frustrated, or stressed.
Appreciating the journey—the highs and the lows—is a way of being a good teammate. It’s a way of freeing yourself from the burdens of regret. It’s a way of keeping the frustrations you inescapably encounter in the pursuit of your goal at bay and not allowing them to hinder your team’s progress.
I’ve often heard that losing reveals character. That’s true, but so can winning. Have you ever witnessed someone get a big head or become cocky after they start winning? Those are marks of character too, or perhaps better stated, a lack thereof.
In the comments section of the tweet I posted last week, I wrote, “Character is built through the journey not confirmed by the destination.” I suppose that’s the real message of this blog.
Success is relative, and frankly, so are many of the goals we set for ourselves. We all know teams who have every advantage. They have the best facilities, biggest budgets, and every resource imaginable. They are set up to reach their “destination.”
We also all know individuals who embody the cliché of waking up on third base and thinking they hit a triple.
The character of the members of any team is what ultimately defines the success of that team. Success is simply a byproduct of the pursuit of character.
Just because you are able to go from third base to home plate, or because you’re able to reach your destination doesn’t necessarily make you successful. And it certainly doesn’t confirm your character.
But achieving your full potential, and valuing the journey it takes to get you there, can.
The journey is what builds your character. Valuing the journey can make you a good teammate.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
