Built to last: Taking a sincere approach at character formation.

If you haven’t noticed yet, we can be a bit trigger happy on deep quotes and philosophical references within our content and speeches. For instance, two weeks ago Henry told me he was going to give a firm message to the players on how they have the choice to become great - not merely the guarantee.

Just 20 seconds later, as the middle school crowd had circled around Henry, I saw eyebrows begin to wrestle in contemplation as he bravely dove headfirst into explaining how the Hebrew translation of the word “timshel” from Genesis 4:6–7 translated to “mayest” represented the fact that Cain had the chance of overcoming sin - not merely a predetermined destiny of victory. Like taking on hell with a squirt gun, he doubled down to connect the theology crash course to the fact that players need to take pride in their stickwork. Message received, I think.

While sometimes we may err on the side of extremes in what we quote and reference, occasionally to the point of confusion, there’s no doubt that the club, the community, and the leaders would not exist had we not individually taken a journey of intellectual and moral discovery. 

I remember, early on in high school, being given a book and a letter attached, which had written at some point within it: 

“Leaders are Readers”

I don’t remember much from that gift aside from the fact that I originally thought that I was too dumb to be considered a reader outside of school, which had degenerated into a habit of using sparknotes and cheap tricks anyways. I don’t even recall what the book was. And yet, years later this quote still rings in my head. All the best leaders that I’ve played under and watched from afar have been tremendous readers, endlessly curious about how to broaden their understanding of life. 

While reading isn’t the only route, it certainly does serve a critical purpose of taking yourself out of your own miniscule and self-serving worldview and letting the thoughts and experiences of others paint a more accurate portrait of the world around you. As you spend time in someone else’s thoughts, you can’t help but to take on a toolbelt that expands your capacity for understanding, wisdom, empathy, and perhaps the most underrated of them all in modern times: conviction. 

To spend hours of time hearing someone’s viewpoint, whether it be their success, heartbreak, or discovery, it’s hard not to feel the same conviction that they feel. I can only speak from my own experience, but I hear the claim frequently that, I can’t and don’t want to focus for a long time, yet hours will be spent in deep focus on something much worse. 

Our generation has taken in more information than any other population that has ever lived, yet due to the addictive and surface level nature of content in modern media, conviction has been replaced with apathy (Link). Like a slot machine, we are one swipe away from choosing a new narrative to dip our toes into for 15 seconds. This cycle feeds addiction and numbs our ability to be human - to be moved to the point of action. To take ownership of one’s life. And if all things go as best as possible, become a leader for those around them. 

 As George Bernard Shaw puts it (another quote for the newcomers…):

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

Might be worth reading again.

So how do we create leaders? How, as a player, do you become a force of nature for the sake of others? 

While I obviously do support reading, and often recommend players to start their own journey of discovery, leadership is not as easy as reading a single book with the intention of becoming the 8th wonder of the world, and it certainly can’t be developed out of a want for merit - those types get rooted out quickly. I think a more realistic approach is to start with a genuine curiosity towards developing compassion. To let your weakness become a strength, for the sake of others.

During one of my toughest periods in life with relationships falling apart, receiving news about a career ending injury, and an identity crisis looming, I met with a mentor of mine who looked at me in a defeated state and said with resolution: 

Your next step as a man is to embrace compassion. Otherwise, this time will have been in vain.

He went on to explain that at its root, compassion could be broken down into two parts: “com” which means “to be with”, and “Passion” which means to “suffer”. Put together, the word means to, literally, suffer with someone. Not simply to hear another person and respond in a certain way that you try to guess correctly. No, this is saying that you must sit with someone, feel their struggle, and from that point, help them to walk towards higher ground. 

This is a critical mark of the leader. To walk the path with others, not only in their glory, but also in their lowest point. And help point towards their own formation of character. 

Developing a player into the type of person that Shaw describes is a tall order, and I don’t know if it can be done at scale, but at the very least, we can take our best shot at introducing the basic launching pad for players, which is to simply care about their impact on others. To be convicted by the fact that, using their own challenges as a means to hear someone else’s, they might be able to be a source for good - and perhaps within time, a mighty one. 

As leaders ourselves, our duty is to develop players who learn to develop players. Who are convicted rather than apathetic. Who will go on to college and into life with the toolbelt that allows them to thrive not only on the field, but as a guide for all those who will inevitably need a shoulder to lean on.

This is our promise to you.

For you.

For others.

With faith and endurance,

Davis