#1 ·
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much pressure there is to just mimic the people who came before you. Whether it's in a career, a sport, or even just a hobby, it feels like there’s this unspoken rule that if you want to succeed, you have to follow the exact blueprint of the "greats." But honestly, looking back at my own time coaching youth soccer, I realized that trying to force a specific, rigid style because that's what the "pros" do just kills the energy of the team.
It’s such a trap. You spend all your mental energy trying to mask your own instincts to fit a certain mold, and then you wonder why you feel burnt out or why the results aren't clicking. It feels like you're playing a character rather than actually leading. I think true success comes from leaning into your own weird quirks and specific way of doing things, even if it's a total departure from the traditional way.
Do you guys think it's actually possible to be a leader without at least being influenced by the icons who paved the way, or is "being yourself" just a cliché we tell people to make them feel better?
It’s such a trap. You spend all your mental energy trying to mask your own instincts to fit a certain mold, and then you wonder why you feel burnt out or why the results aren't clicking. It feels like you're playing a character rather than actually leading. I think true success comes from leaning into your own weird quirks and specific way of doing things, even if it's a total departure from the traditional way.
Do you guys think it's actually possible to be a leader without at least being influenced by the icons who paved the way, or is "being yourself" just a cliché we tell people to make them feel better?