Three Minute Leadership: Don’t Quit Till You Have Got Nothing Left
To: the Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
In the 2006 movie, Facing the Giants, we find a powerful inspirational message for great leaders. One of the team’s most influential players, Brock, is heard by the coach to be writing off the upcoming game as a loss. The coach finds a valuable teaching moment in putting Brock to the test by making him do a death crawl (5:37 minutes) in which a player crawls 50 yards across the football field with his knees and elbows off the ground and with another lighter player on his back. The coach challenges him to do his best. On top of this, the coach blindfolds him. Brock asks why, and the coach replies: “I don’t want you to give up at a certain point when you can go further.” Here a brief summary of the segment.
Broch starts our and after several yards, he begins to struggle and says: “Am I at the 20 yet?”. The coach yells: “Forget the 20! You give me your best! Your keep going! That’s it.” A little further Brock pauses to rest, and the coach again yells: “You’ve got to keep moving. Let’s keep moving! Let’s go! Don’t quit till you have got nothing left. There you go. Keep moving. Keep moving … Do your very best! Your very best! Your very best! Keep moving Brock! That’s it! That’s it! That’s it!” Players on the sidelines are rising to see their teammate struggling toward the goal. “Don’t quit on me! Your very best! Keep driving!” the coach is saying. Brock cries that he is out of strength and the coach says: “I know it hurts! You keep going! You keep going! It’s all heart from here!”
Brock final makes it and falls to the ground. The coach takes the blindfold off of Brock and says: “Brock, You are the most influential player on this team! If you walk around defeated, so will they! Don’t tell you can’t give me more than what I have seen! You just carried a 140 pound man across this whole field on your arms! Brock! I need you! God’s gifted you with the ability of leadership! Don’t waste it!” The coach asks Brock: “Can I count on you?” Brock nods his head and says “Yes!” As the camera pans we learn that Broch didn’t just do 50 yards, he did 100 yards.
Great leaders know and live these great moments – helping an individual/team find their fullest potential; pushing them to help them see beyond their limits; being there with and for them as they struggle to find something deep inside … the unfound gift. It is more than you hitting or exceeding a target. It is about giving your all: “Don’t quit till you have got nothing left.” It is about being more than you ever dreamed you can be in everything and anything you do, whatever your chose work. Put on a blindfold to eliminate the limitations your see … and dream.
I encourage you to watch this 5:37 minute video. Be inspired by its power. Take learning from its profound message. Remember the coach’s words: “God’s gifted you with the ability of leadership! Don’t waste it!”
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike
- Three Minute Leadership: The Four Essentials of Great Achievement
- Congratulations Mario Damasceno, Buccino Scholar for the Class of 2019!