During the 2003 football season, in a dimly lit auditorium, walked in an unknown face. A short muscular man paced the tile floor with purpose, delivering a message with a resounding voice. His message resonated with me deeply. He spoke with passion and purpose, reinforcing his words with stories of leadership. Holding teammates accountable, pushing one another for additional reps, and not settling for imperfections.

“Touch the line! We don’t take shortcuts!”

It was the first time I recognized that leadership is an acquired skill. Up to this point, I thought leaders were born with this exceptional trait. It wasn’t on my radar that I could acquire skills to help others reach their capabilities and my own.

“I’m going after another rep, who’s with me?”

This was before the days of leadership books, YouTube inspirational videos, blogs, and podcasts. High school kids were not often privileged with professional speakers who had deep insight into the craft.

“Here’s what I see when you run this route, maybe try this approach next time and see if it works for you.”

I left that meeting with a new perspective. I would like to say I became a top-tier leader who rallied the troops. I remember a moment during conditioning months later, where I attempted to get my teammates to push for additional “gasher” reps to get better and push our limits. Many of my teammates had no desire and walked away. I walked away defeated and wondering if leadership was for me. A moment of defeat that made me hesitate, step out, and vocalize inspirational words.

“Today is an opportunity to train our craft. What can we get better at? Where can we improve by 1%?”

Years later, I became a football coach, where I continued to build my leadership craft. I always envisioned myself giving heroic speeches and pushing my guys to greatness. It didn’t work out that way, and I found that coaching is not about speeches and whoraah moments. It is the art of teaching, preparedness, and trust.

Countless times as coaches, we pushed our players to step out and lead. Tracing my leadership journey, I can see why so many are hesitant to vocalize their leadership. It creates a nervousness that is hard to face. There is the possibility of judgment that can be debilitating. For many, that is difficult to overcome. The internal voice that screams that we are not enough to lead, known as impostor syndrome.

To defeat impostor syndrome, it requires learning, preparation, and a bit of fortitude. I often reference the Bible, when God instructs us to be courageous. He ordered Moses and Joshua to trust in Him and be courageous to lead their people. God understands that people are judgmental and naturally hesitant to trust, and it requires boldness to lead. We must not be afraid to communicate a mission and inspire those around us with belief and action.

“I see your gifts! Use them for goodness, and don’t allow yourself to play small!”

Trust your internal voice and train in leadership. Be courageous when opportunities surface. We must not become timid and let unique opportunities pass, where we could provide inspiration. Those moments of inaction create regret, which are hard to sit with.

Keep moving forward!

One more thing, if you’re looking to expand your leadership and coaching craft, check out the Emerging Coaches Guide on Amazon. It an also be found on the Youniversalife Shop.

Photo by Jack Sloop on Unsplash

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Educators are some of the most intellectual people in our society who possess a unique skill set that could translate across any industry. They are master communicators who practice negotiation every day with students and adults. Most teachers are lifelong learners who take great pride in their professional development, which expands to a number of educational spectrums, including technology. Educators are givers who selflessly sacrifice their time and energy to bring unending value to those they serve. Teachers deserve the opportunity to monetize their intellectual property and skills. Supporting teachers’ growth and income is vital and can be achieved by creating a masterclass culture in schools.

Maximize Talents

Educational reform is always a hot topic, and we seek to implement the best solution for every family across the country. On the ground level, it starts with the educational leaders within every school. These people must cultivate creative ideas that allow teachers to maximize their talents in and outside the classroom. The education profession no longer has time to wait on the government for pay raises. They are welcome, but the financial climate is too volatile to wait patiently. We must be proactive in our approach. As we wait for politicians to make decisions, more days go by when teachers are not appropriately compensated for their expertise.

To maximize the potential of educators, we must promote and reward professional development. As teachers implement their newfound skills, they should showcase them to students, other teachers, and the community. This does three things:

1. Brings validity to the students, where they can visually see and hear the level of professionalism that each teacher brings to the classroom.
2. It allows colleagues to learn from others and validate their efforts to maximize their potential as educators. It is an evaluation system in itself.
3. It communicates to the community that there is a continual effort from each teacher and reinforces professionalism and attempted growth.

Those who win in business control their message the best. The businesses and entrepreneurs who are able to market and communicate the direction of their company gain trust and establish loyal customers. Education is no different. Teachers and Educational Leaders who are able to articulate and effectively communicate with stakeholders create learning climates that all want to be part of.

Teachers need to feel empowered to do their work. In the book “The New Classroom Instruction That Works” (Goodwin & Rouleau, 2022), they make a strong argument for the need to create curiosity in the classroom for students. To spark initiative and influence, educators need the freedom to be curious and innovate as well. To stimulate and sustain these efforts, teachers and leaders need the freedom to promote their practices and take on an entrepreneurial spirit.

Another piece of the pie is time. Educators need the time to reflect and create. As one educational leader points out, “If you want the performer to sing and dance, they must practice the dance.” To propel great experiences in the classroom, we must leverage moments for teachers to practice their craft. They need time to assess their lessons and adjust. Teachers need more time to collaborate and observe each other to provide meaningful feedback. While doing this, there is a need to ruthlessly eliminate the stigma that peer evaluation is bad. We must create environments where this is welcome and encouraged by everyone, with two goals in mind.

1. To maximize the learning for students and staff.
2. To provide additional opportunities for educators to learn and monetize their expertise.

There are hundreds of educational guides on effective teaching. All have their place in one corner or another. Every classroom is different, and each teacher must discover what works for them. There are data-driven strategies that do work. One is the Kagan Teaching Strategies. I’ve seen this in many classrooms and love the functionality of its structure for most teachers. I don’t see many books that discuss how teachers can monetize their expertise and promote learning outside of their classroom. We, as educators, need to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Open the Door for Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship

• Entrepreneur – According to Stanford Online, “At its most basic level, entrepreneurship refers to an individual or a small group of partners who strike out on an original path to create a new business. An aspiring entrepreneur actively seeks a particular business venture, and it is the entrepreneur who assumes the greatest amount of risk associated with the project. As such, this person also stands to benefit most if the project is a success.” (Stanford University, n.d.)
• Intrapreneurship – Stanford Online describes it like, “Employees are encouraged to think like entrepreneurs, cultivating an original perspective that may result in a new idea for the company. These workers may be given extra latitude, but the enterprise still holds authority over the project and absorbs any risk associated with it. Entrepreneurs benefit every sector, from large corporations to small businesses.
• Both approaches can exist in the educational space. It should be encouraged among all school leaders, and resources should be provided to create a climate that allows both to exist.

Teach teachers how to monetize their craft beyond their classroom. Create support systems and learning opportunities in content creation. Every school should have a videographer who, by request, captures lessons taught with high-quality cameras. Teachers should wear microphones that record their teachings. There should be a Team of Professionals and students who edit and make cutups of teachings repurposed for outside consumption that sit behind a paywall. Photography and videography teams like Black Box Media of Central Kentucky would be an interesting option to capture teaching and creativity. Media platforms would need incentives to provide their services. There could be some form of royalty agreement between them and the teacher. The school district could financially support the teacher through state and federal technology funding. Every purchased download would be directly deposited into the specific teacher’s bank account, and media royalties will be paid accordingly for their support.

Masterclass is an online educational platform performed by established experts/celebrities in their particular field. According to Skillgrowthpro.com, the instructors are reportedly paid $100,000 upfront and 30% of the revenue generated by their content. Every school can create its own version of Masterclass that is accessible anytime. Students enrolled in certain schools can access the teaching archive across all teachers. The public can access the content through Patreon, which allows creators to receive funding from their fans for their work. The opportunity for content creation is only limited by a lack of imagination and creation time.

I coached high school sports for many years, and along the way, we captured most practices and every game with video. The sports video and analytics company Hudl thrust its way onto the scene in 2006 and quickly cornered the market. Their product made it easy for coaches to video their team’s performance and use it as a teaching tool. Hudl also allows all athletes to promote their talents to college recruiters and, in today’s sports market, earn NIL money for themselves.

Like practice and game fields, classrooms should be outfitted with video and analytics. The classroom video could be toggled on and off by the teacher, where they could determine what to capture and when. Classroom video would also be a poor behavior deterrent, where everyone knows that all moments are captured. This would create accountability within the students. On a practice field, the film would quickly identify who was loafing on any given play. No one wanted to be caught and called on their lack of effort in team meetings the next day. The film doesn’t lie!

Considerations

This masterclass approach is not for every teacher. Leadership must understand this and be mindful of the needs of each individual. Many teachers won’t like a camera capturing their lessons. It may create uneasiness and anxiety that classrooms don’t need. Schools must also be mindful of capturing students on film. There must be safeguards in place to ensure privacy is not compromised.

One terrific outcome of this approach is students learning and observing firsthand how to create branding for themselves. It can spark interest in how to capture their expertise and promote themselves. These things are transferable to later job searches and even sports recruitment. They can see what a responsible and organized moment capturing looks like.

To push education forward, outside-the-box ideas must be tried, and educators must have the freedom to create. Education is a competitive world. Public educators are now competing against online and at-home platforms, charter, and private schools. There are more avenues to receive an education than ever before. To retain professional educators, we must identify ways to monetize their talents and inspire them to stay. Push for creation and help teachers realize their value where they’re at.

Youniversalife Leadership and Educational Content

In an effort to educate beyond the school building, I have an extensive collection of leadership and coaching content at the Youniversalife Archive. Check it out and keep moving forward!

Also, if you have questions or want to strike up a conversation regarding education and leadership, leave a comment in the section below. You can also follow Youniversalife on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Direct message me on those platforms, and we can connect. Take care!

Quick Note

These are my own thoughts and are completely separate from my duties as an educator at Madison County Schools.

References

Goodwin, B., & Rouleau, K. (2022). The new classroom instruction that works: The best research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. ASCD.

Stanford University. (n.d.). What is entrepreneurship? Stanford Online. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://online.stanford.edu/what-is-entrepreneurship#:~:text=At%20its%20most%20basic%20level,large%20corporations%20to%20small%20businesses

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• Urban Meyer’s sense of urgency to sign Tim Tebow.
• Tim Tebow led his team into late-night weight room sessions wearing war paint and bandanna.

Urban’s Urgency

When you coach football, every coach knows that the team’s heartbeat is the quarterback. At the time, Tebow was the number one QB recruit in the country out of high school. Meyer had a specific offense that he knew fit Tebow’s skill set. The amount of pressure Meyer felt to sign Tebow was immense, and he subconsciously knew that this single player could make or break his career with the Florida Gators.

The quarterback is in a leverage position. They hold the most influence to propel or descend the playing/coaching careers of those around them. They showcase the talents of teammates and potentially mask their flaws as well. Leadership positions in the world often have the same influence. That is why CEOs or Principals are frequently referred to as the “Quarterback” of the organization.

When Urban Meyer landed Tebow on signing day, he knew his career was on the right trajectory. He had the personality and leader he sought to run his team and become the heartbeat. These exceptional individuals are hard to come by. Tebow put Meyer on the national map. He was Gatorade for Meyer’s soul.

War Paint & Bandanna

Swamp Kings captured grueling late-night team workouts, where they would do training sessions that few other programs were willing to do, which set them apart. Led by Tebow, he would roll in with black face paint and a camo bandanna. It was a warrior-like persona that was contagious. His genuine passion for those moments trickled through the organization. In the documentary, when reflecting on those moments, Tebow said, “It was awesome!” A testament to his belief that “We can control a few things: our attitude, our effort, our focus, and how we go about treating our teammates.” Tim was the Gatorade for his team’s soul.

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Several weeks ago, I watched Jameis play his former team, the New Orleans Saints. After the game, the entire Saints team lined up to see their former leader and give their respect. You could see and feel the genuine joy they had for the man. After witnessing this moment, I wondered why Jameis had not been given complete confidence from his head coaches. It could have been the 30 interceptions his last year in Tampa Bay.

Jameis once said, “Sometimes you gotta be Bruce Wayne.” This was his attempt to explain his previous desire to make every play like Batman. It is a reminder to all of us that timing is everything. After much adversity, he has re-established his identity in Cleveland, which is leadership through discipline.

It is clear his teammates love his infectious personality. His energy is contagious and even lights the fire of his followers with viral sound bite reels. Currently, Cleveland has their guy and should commit to his leadership even if he throws the occasional pick. Batman wasn’t perfect, either.

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Coach Campbell once said, “This last bit of losing has to get outta here.”

He felt his team was on the cusp of becoming a powerhouse. To fully ingrain this belief, he vocalized the truth that resonated with his players. It was the tipping point moment that needed a hard shove to reality.

Great coaches feel these critical moments and will their teams to win on and off the field. They create belief and polarizing cultures that players, coaches, and support staff want to be part of. They ooze positivity that the fan base responds to.

Coach Dan Campbell is the Lion King!

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• A physical activity that brings you joy and fulfillment.
• An activity that stabilizes your emotional well-being.
• Moments that create social opportunities that you crave.

Physical Wellness

We respect physically fit people who consistently exercise daily because it is hard. Exercising daily requires discipline. When considering leaders in a room, those with a physical and healthy presence immediately catch the eye. They have proven that within their personal lives, they can sustain effort in a particular area. They are not easily defeated and have a high base threshold for discomfort.

American culture loves high-performing athletes. We know they have worked hard for success and understand the requirements to ascend to certain levels athletically in American sports. We are naturally drawn to these people and follow their stories. We view them as leaders of communities. When creating our own leadership strategy, we should, in turn, consider the importance of becoming physically fit, knowing our culture places great value on it, especially when we choose those who lead others. Physical fitness in leadership is a prerequisite in the military, strength and conditioning coaches, first responders, and many others. These individuals must live the mission.

Military leadership is competitive. Those who choose to lead are also the most physically fit. They must prove to those below them that they are capable and worthy of their rank. Their leadership suffers if the leader can’t climb the mountain, swim, or finish in top times for running distance. If they’re in the top tier, their men and women respect them, are inspired, and will push forward.

Watch the Detroit Lions on any given Sunday in the fall. Their current head coach, Dan Campbell, is a monster of a man. He belongs behind a Spartan helmet and shield, fighting the Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae, sword in hand. The Lions have historically been irrelevant for 3 decades. Dan led his team to the playoffs in 2023, two years after being named the Head Coach.

Not all leaders are built like Spartan warriors, but identify an area of fitness that you enjoy doing that builds strength, endurance, and mental stability.

Emotional Wellness

The number 1 place I turn to for emotional wellness is my faith in Jesus. A daily ritual of prayer in solitude is what I need to stabilize my emotions for the day. I bring my thoughts, worries, and needs to God. He helps me categorize and visualize how to overcome the hardships of living. Prayer sorts through and weeds out unnecessary temptations, worries, regrets, and wrongdoings. When I start my day this way, I am far more likely to experience joy and fulfillment. Every day is not perfect, but when I neglect prayer and do not spend time with God, my odds of experiencing setbacks and hardship increase greatly.

Making conscious decisions to be proactive with our emotional wellness is vital. We all have “emotional energy capital.” This is the amount of emotional energy we have to spend each day. We must choose to use the energy on prioritized moments. What hill are you willing to die on? Not every hill is a life-or-death situation, but knowing when to charge the hill is important. Some are not meant to be summited. We must become clear on where we place importance in our lives and use emotional control to navigate the tempting causes that do not bear fruit and expel great energy capital.

If costly emotional events occur, counterbalance them with a stabilizing activity that’s good for your well-being. Any form of exercise is a tier 1 go-to. A cup of your favorite coffee may be a tier 2 go-to. A quick phone call with a trusted friend is a tier 3 go-to.

Tier Examples (Your tier structure may look different. Move the pieces around to fit yourself):

Tier 1 Go-To

• Exercise in any form
• Sleep / Nap
• Prayer

Tier 2 Go-To

• Coffee
• Nutritious food/snack
• Read something of value

Tier 3 Go-To

• Phone call with a trusted friend
• Time-conscious video game experience
• Time-conscious movie/show/YouTube or clips

Social Wellness

Leadership is the ability to influence. To lead, you must socially interact and build relationships with people. Professional relationships are key, but casual, tight bonds with outside friends are equally important. You must purposely have 1-3 close friends that you frequently speak with. Work conversations into the weekly calendar where, at certain times, you make time for them. These individuals are soundboards that listen and bring advice when needed. They also bring comical relief. Talks that aren’t business-related but allow for relaxation.

Friends who ease the tension can also see your blind spots. Close friends without professional agendas are likelier to share useful advice and highlight your weaknesses than those who may be tempted to become “Yes” people. This critical advice propels our leadership ability. These gold nuggets are usually embedded in deep conversations of exploration.

Surface-level conversations become tiring and suck the energy from us. The small-talk vampire sinks its teeth and draws out the lifeblood. We quickly begin to check our watch and subconsciously think about the weighty events that await us later. Small talk is the entry point to deeper conversations, but it can also hamstring productivity and your ability to lead. Leaders delicately dance in and out of quick conversations, being always thoughtful and not rushing off for fear of being disrespectful.

We crave the conversations that require us to think and creatively bring our opinions forward. Deep social experiences allow this to occur and breathe life into you. Once you move past the small talk and enter deeper waters, you can recognize the enjoyment of investing time with others. It’s an intoxicating experience and leaves us craving more. Good, healthy, and deep relationships are spiritual gifts from God.

Bonus: Sleep Wellness

The most restorative practice for mental fatigue is sleep. Leadership requires cognitive and physical stamina. Prioritize sleep in the evening to be fully rested and restored for leadership moments the next day. Inconsistent sleep patterns create mental fog and mood swings. To counterbalance the lack of sleep, we quickly run for caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants to boost our energy levels.

Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) is a great way to boost your energy and mood levels if you are fatigued. NSDR is a protocol where you sit or lay down with your eyes closed and experience various breathing techniques or guided visualizations but do not fall asleep. Extended prayer is also an example of NSDR, which incorporates a relaxed, secluded environment where you close your eyes and go through a spiritual narration with God. Prayer is a visual experience, often entering into a realm of deep relaxation and seeing your thoughts and experiences with God.

(Check out Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Explanation)

Wrap Up

You are strong in one area or another. God has given you a gift. Embrace the gift and continually share it with the world. Sharing and teaching others how to operate in the world is a version of leadership. It will require restorative practices so you can continually show up for others.

If you enjoyed this post and want to experience more, head to the Youniversalife Archive for more leadership education. Take care, and Keep Moving Forward!

Also:

Dr. Andrew Huberman has an extensive library of helpful information regarding the human condition. Many of his topics and much of his research translate well to the leadership spectrum. Be sure to check out his work.

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

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Pursuit of Passion

Although I am not a hunter and do not run ultra-marathons, I take many lessons from Cam Hanes’ examples. I believe we are a product of the extracted actions of others. I am always examining the behaviors to see what I can apply in my own life. In the case of Cameron Hanes, I admire his persistent pursuit of passion. He never wavers from his soulful desire to hunt. He knows he must train to increase his probability of success in the wild. The wild is unforgiving, and Cam must always stay razor-sharp.

For decades, no one knew who Cameron Hanes was. His countless reps have improved him in all areas of life and helped him ascend to the top and gain respect among the elite, not only in the hunting community but also among countless others who draw inspiration from his work. You don’t hang with Joe Rogan or David Goggins, run stride for stride with Lance Armstrong, or work out with UFC Champion Colby Covington if you are a toe dipper. This man has kept hammering for decades and has earned the honor and reputation as the world’s best in his niche.

My career pursuits have always been about my passions. My love for sports and competition drove me to become a Physical Education teacher. I get to have fun every day and incorporate play into the lives of my students. I have coached football for almost 15 years. Most people only watch it on Saturdays and Sundays. I lived the game for half my life, teaching players how to compete and confidently contribute to their community. This helped me strategically build a leadership and performance platform, my true passion today.

I’ve recently built my first official small business, Youniversalife Lawn Care. I’ve always enjoyed working outdoors in my yard. There is always a gratifying sense of accomplishment after completing my yard work. I wanted to extend this a step further by investing in an industrial-grade SCAG mower and acquiring my first mowing clients. I mow over 20 properties that bring monthly income for my family. It’s a few extra hours of work a week. Although it is defined as work, it is also a joyous business. I like learning the ins and outs of an effective business. I love sweating in the heat while riding a 37-horsepower mower, zipping across landscapes. Instead of spending hours in the gym every week, I carry a weed eater and leaf blower. I wear noise-canceling headphones and play podcasts that teach me anything I want. I’ll listen to new music when I grow tired of informative conversation.

Most of what I’ve learned about business has come from working on a mower. I have effectively married personal development with work, doing them simultaneously and earning a side income. Teaching Physical Education allows me to incorporate movement, exercise, and play into my daily routine. I double-dip my professional life with physical, emotional, and social health. My Youniversalife Leadership & Performance is also an extension of this. Teaching PE gives me the freedom to stretch my curriculum. I uniquely get to create content for my students that helps them achieve success through leadership and performance development. These concepts fall under the overall wellness umbrella. I have strategically aligned my passions with my work to create a giving and expanding lifestyle.

Work-Life-Youniverse

Some people wish to keep their professional life separate from their personal life. I would argue that one should support the other. They should work together, compoundly build, and create a better version of you. I do not want to work a job where I obsessively wait for the weekend escape. It’s my goal to continually work and strategize how to align the two better daily. I call this my “Work-Life-Youniverse.”

When I expand my Youniversalife Lawn Care business, I will draw from the leadership and performance knowledge I have acquired. I understand the nuances of relationship building and how to motivate individuals to perform at a high level. When they don’t perform, I know how to help them become productive employees for the company. I am well-versed in conflict resolution and how to navigate crises quickly. I have been developing these characteristics by no accident.

How can you implement the Work-Life-Youniverse strategy?

Step 1

Identify your passion that brings you great joy and fulfillment that can potentially be monetized with good strategy:

• Physical Fitness
• Nutrition
• Budgeting
• Writing
• Investment Strategy
• Landscaping
• Welding
• Carpentry
• Coaching
• Music

The possibilities are endless with enough creativity and willingness to work consistently.

Step 2

Pursue a career that brings value across several fronts

• Income
• Professional Development
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Acquired Equity in Your Company / Workplace
• Childcare
• Health Insurance
• Corporate Gym Membership / Wellness Incentive Program
• Paid Creation Time / Incentives for Creating Solutions and Products
• Helping Others

Step 3

Create a business plan that binds your passion and primary career together. The time margin that exists in your career provides room for your passion. A business plan is a roadmap for its operation. The final destination may not be known, but the initial steps can be strategized. Identify the initial components that must exist to get it off the ground. When these steps are completed, additional steps begin to come into focus. Taking action is the most important piece of the journey.

Today’s business climate is ripe with opportunity. The e-commerce industry alone has opened avenues for opportunity that didn’t exist 10 years ago. Shopify is an e-commerce sales platform that allows anyone to create a shop, create products, drop-ship, or even sell print-on-demand items. Once your business plan is established and you build your brand identity, you are immediately ready to create and sell online. Create your brand digital designs with Canva or Photoshop and transfer them to products in your online store. Market your brand and designs on your personal social media, and BOOM, you’re now operating your first business. You may sell 2 products in year 1, but that’s passive income that didn’t exist before and requires little attention after establishing the store and brand.

Expanding Your Brand Across Multiple Industries of Passion

When you create a business plan and name for your business/platform, do it to expand the brand across multiple industries of passion. Do not box your brand in with a niche specific name. Research names that are available for use online. Find out if there is already a domain name or website online. When creating a website, effective keyword research is vital. You must determine what others search for through Google and other search engines. Do not neglect this step because it can expedite your growth.

Forward-thinking is a key strategy for success. You must always think 5 steps ahead and forecast what will come. There may be blindspots along the way, but you shouldn’t be naive to opportunity. Successful businessman Patrick Bet-David discusses the next 5 moves in his book Your Next Five Moves. I love his take on how alignment is the key to fulfillment. He suggests that we keep these four points in mind:

• Your vision must align with the ideal future self.
• Your choices must align with your vision.
• Your effort level must match the magnitude of your vision.
• Your values and principles must be the support pillars of your behaviors.

This framework allows you to plan for the future and identify markets where you can win the game. Or take it from another successful entrepreneur Alex Hormozi, who takes a deep dive into how to make your passion a business reality in an Interview with Chris Williamson. He emphasizes identifying the things you don’t want to do or be and relentlessly moving in the opposite direction. This identified course of action leads you to potential business ideas.

Wrap Up

Not all passions and interests should be monetized. An argument could be made that life requires time for leisure, and we shouldn’t mix it with monetization. Codie Sanchez discusses this debate with guest Ali Abdaal on her BigDeal Podcast . They both have mixed feelings on the subject but agree that if the concept fits your lifestyle and you find joy, pursue it. When the pursuit becomes a grind, we should distance ourselves from monetizing our feel-good passions.

Find what fits you and be curious. If you’ve found this post interesting, continue reading the Youniversalife Archive and listening to the Youniversalife Podcast. Thank you for your support, and remember to Keep Moving Forward.

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Leadership Deterioration

Leadership is hard and leaves us vulnerable to self and social ridicule. To combat leadership deterioration, we must concentrate on leadership skills. There are countless resources available to teach leadership. Most fictional stories include a hero with magnetic leadership ability. The knight in shining armor displays the will to fight, which is leadership in action. The knight saves the day and wins the beauty’s heart.

Varsity Blues

In the 1999 classic Varsity Blues, the backup quarterback “Mox,” played by James Van Der Beek, silently sits on the bench behind the star player. Mox was far more interested in pursuing an Ivy League education post-high school. This was counter-cultural, where football was life in his small Texas town. When a season-ending injury thrust Mox into the starting role, he tapped into his innate leadership ability, ultimately leading his team to a district championship. It may be argued that his intellect and academic pursuits led to field success. His intellectual abilities eventually translated to leadership and victory. Not to mention, he had a cannon for an arm. Ask his Dad’s nose!

There are several examples of leadership within the Varsity Blues cinematic experience. Coach Kilmer is the old-school, ball-busting, win-at-all-cost head coach. His players eventually refused to perform for him. Then there was the primary starting QB Lance Harbor, played by Paul Walker, who was unfortunately injured but coached the game-winning drive from the sideline after Coach Kilmer left midgame.

Locate Times of Influence

Great leadership is often found when we seize the moment. Every moment looks different, and we must acquire awareness to identify opportunities to step forward. It is our leadership radar that helps us to locate times of influence. Your radar initially announces small and brief blips in opportunity. As we acquire leadership skills and educate ourselves on the world, our radar systems become a high-functioning mechanism. We learn to read our environment with all senses.

Lion Tracker

I encourage you to listen to an interview on the Become Good Soil Podcast hosted by Morgan Snyder of Wild at Heart Ministries and the author of Becoming a King. He speaks with a fellow author and former lion tracker, Boyd Varty, who wrote The Lion’s Tracker Guide to Life. Boyd elaborately describes how lion and wildlife trackers read their environment to locate their animals. He draws perfect parallels in how we scan our environment to pursue the Holy Spirit. The more we do it, the better we become, and we subconsciously grow in our awareness of moments where the Holy Spirit exists.

Boyd Varty talks about how trackers will read the grass, identify scratches on the ground, discover paw prints, and look for disturbed brush. As leaders, we must do the same and train our senses to discover the trail where leadership moments exist. Once we identify these, we implement the skills acquired through training and study to maximize our ability to influence others and create positive outcomes.

Leadership is like stalking a lion, as I imagine it, filled with adrenaline, fear, excitement, and patience. These sensations all exist in moments of influential leadership. Choose to go and courageously influence change. We’ll eventually discover that our leadership ability grows with each moment.

Follow the Trail

If you’ve found this blog post helpful, continue your quest of discovery by visiting the Youniversalife Archive. You’ll find additional leadership insight and further your leadership identity.

Feel free to share any article or podcast episode you’ve enjoyed. By doing this, it helps the show grow. Thank you so much!

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Great scouts have a unique ability to read people, where they look for specific and uncommon behaviors. Uncommon behavior comes in many forms. We seek world-changers, people actively pursuing a better life for themselves and those around them. They are continually attempting to bring value to their space. This value steadily increases and radiates contagious energy. They are not moved by the world but by a higher power. They are students of life.  

Let’s face it; we are all people watchers. It is in human nature to read and learn from others. Watching others interact from afar and see how they move through the day-to-day is fascinating. We all wish to comprehend people. If we’re to build our organization, there are key scouting categories we look at:    

Scouting categories

• Personality
• Humor
• Emotional Intelligence
• Steadfastness
• Voice
• Embrace the weird

Within each category, a personal DNA exists. This DNA can be transmitted to others. It is contagious. We instinctively take on some of their mannerisms when interacting with someone for an extended period. We take on other’s sub-identities. We pick up on traits and apply them to our lives. Our lives are constructed through these interactions. By placing this into perspective, we must recognize the importance of being around positive influencers.  

In the book 1776 by ‎David McCullough, he examines the unique qualities of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He explains how Washington was in constant search for world changers. He knew the importance of placing influential men around him to support the cause, eventually leading to freedom. McCullough describes the quality of each man. One man he continually called on and respected was Henry Knox. He was an extraordinary man who was a bookseller before the war. Washington recognized his passion and placed his trust in him. Henry and his men moved 59 artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga, 300 miles over treacherous terrain, to Boston. A job that seemed impossible was accomplished by world-changers and later helped win the war. 

Seek out the best! Allow them to infiltrate your life and influence your behaviors. Write a list of qualities that you wish to possess. These are foundational elements that can be built. Be the scout that brings you life’s championships. You should always seek to build your winning team.

Wrap Up

If you’ve found this article helpful, slide over to the Youniversalife Archive, where you’ll find extensive leadership help. You can also check out the Influences Page, which lists literature and podcasts that shape my winning team.

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