“To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.”—Mike Krzyzewski
My son has a goal in the lacrosse cage this season. He wants to play to a shutout in goal. He has already played a second half shutout. I trust he can do it.
To accomplish this, he needs more than to play a perfect game. He needs his team. Success in anything requires a group effort.
He had a second half shutout because he played well, but he also had a team that gelled particularly well in that half of the game. The defense played splendidly. Offensively the team was great. One of their top scorers had returned from an extended trip. The young players started to really click. Everyone played well. It will have to be more perfect to play to a shutout.
If any of us are successful, it is not solely to our own credit. We could not do it without parents, teachers, coaches, neighbors, friends, partners, and teammates. We could not do it without the giftedness with which we are blessed, those who prepared and supported us, or those—including the competition—who pushed us.
I feel honored and blessed to have had the parents, teachers, coaches, and support that have brought me where I am. If I aspire to be a successful professor (and I do), I need campus support, the support of colleagues, and, above all, I need students who desire to be successful. I also need the support of my family.
I desire to have success in writing—this blog, as well as hopeful book projects. I would not be able to do this without numerous teachers (Mrs. Moreland, Mrs. Moore, et al. come immediately to mind) and educators through the years. I will have no success without readers—supporters as well as critics. I am nothing by myself. None of us have claim to greatness in anything.
There is no such thing as the “self-made (wo)man”. We are the product of community and team. We are made (extra)ordinary by the gift of others. On our path, we must never forget this.
My son’s goal is admirable. To succeed, though, he will need to do more than block lacrosse balls. He will need to lead. He will need to support. He will need to encourage.
Success is an admirable pursuit. We must remember, however, that no one is successful in isolation. Carpe momento!