38 Sobering Facts For Leaders Who Have Squandered Great Opportunity

Few things are as disappointing as wasted potential.  Perhaps you understand this because you have squandered opportunity and are feeling the effects.  You may be dealing with a great amount of shame and regret.  And some reading this post are on the road to squandering a great opportunity but they do not recognize the warning signs.  Hopefully this post will help you.

ESPN recently profiled of Ryan Leaf on their E:60 program.  If you are unfamiliar with Leaf, he was a Washington State quarterback who had more upside talent and a higher ceiling than Peyton Manning coming out of college.  As the second pick in the 1998 NFL Draft (behind Manning), he signed with the Sand Diego Chargers for 5 years and $31 million, $11 million of which was guaranteed.

However, Ryan was out of the league in just four years and is considered the biggest bust in NFL history.  Over his four-year career, he threw only 14 touchdowns with 36 interceptions compiling a record of 4-17 as a starter.

The following are 38 Sobering Facts For Those Who Have Squandered Great Opportunity:  As I read this list it was striking how much this journey is similar to many pastors and business leaders who have become disqualified from their place of influence.

1. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Become Cautionary Tales – The Pro Football Hall of Fame secures an artifact from every player who played in the NFL.  All Ryan Leaf left behind was a draft card from the day the Chargers drafted him on April 18, 1998.
2. It Does Not Happen Overnight When Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity.  Often You Can See It Coming. – Leaf said, “I was an addict long before I picked up a drug.  I was defensive.  I was fearful.  I was egotistical.  I did everything that exhibited addict behavior before I took a drug.”
3. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Are Prideful And Lack Humility – Leaf’s mom Marcia said, “He wasn’t humble (as a child).”  Leaf added, “There was a running joke (at Washington State), What’s the difference between God and Ryan Leaf?  God doesn’t think He’s Ryan Leaf.”
4. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Are Often Obnoxious – When asked what he thought when people called him obnoxious, Leaf replied, “So what.”
5. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Refuse To Be Under Authority – “He was at times difficult to coach.” – WSU head coach Mike Riley
6. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Enjoy The Rewards Of Success More Than The Process Of Achieving Success – Leaf wanted to go to San Diego over Indianapolis because of “sunshine, babes, money.  That’s the world I need to live in.”
7. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Have Often Previously Squandered Great Opportunity – Leaf did not show up for the pre-draft interviews with the Colts.  He wanted to make them angry so they would not draft him.
8. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Are Often Entitled And Think Things Should Come Easy – “I was pretty arrogant in that preseason (rookie year).  I kind of thought it was going to come easy to me.” – Leaf
9. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Lack Respect For Others – The veterans thought he was “a punk” in his rookie training camp.
10. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Cannot Handle Adversity – “When things started to go downward, he didn’t know how to handle it.” – former teammate Rodney Harrison
11. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Deal Poorly With Failure – Leaf said, “I looked at failure as the end.  If I failed at something it was over.”
12. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Blame Others For Their Failures – Leaf develop a personal grudge with San Diego Tribune Jay Posner who wrote a disparaging article about him.
13. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Struggle With Anger – The only difference between anger and danger is a “d”.  Leaf famously exploded with rage against Posner during a locker room interview.
14. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Lead By Intimidation – Leaf’s goal was to deal with Posner through intimidation.
15. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Are Forced To Constantly Apologize – After the Posner incident, Leaf read a prepared apology.  The key word here is “forced.”  There was a lack of sincerity.
16. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Have Poor Performance – Leaf’s performance on the field immediately declined and spiraled out of control.
17. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Squander Their Influence  – In his second season, Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard fined and suspended Leaf for conduct detrimental to the team.
18. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Refuse To Accept Responsibility – Teammate Rodney Harrison said, “He wanted the money.  He wanted the fame but he didn’t want the responsibility of being a quarterback in the National Football League.”
19. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Squander Mutually-Beneficial Relationships  – Rodney added, “Then he became a jerk.”
20. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Lose Their Jobs – “Nobody felt sorry for Ryan Leaf.  Get rid of his #@*” – Harrison on his March 1st, 2001 release from the team.
21. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Then Deal With Shame – Leaf acknowledged, “I am labeled ‘The biggest bust.’  The Shame.  Shame was a huge deal for me for the longest time.”
22. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Can Become Increasingly Isolated – Leaf then went to Las Vegas to blend in and disappear.  What Leaf needed was a loving community with accountability.  He drifted towards isolation.
23. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Look For Ways To Escape Their Pain – Leaf then turned to substance abuse to deal with the shame and failure of his career.
24. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Squander Their Financial Resources As Well – Feeding his addiction to pills caused Leaf to ran out of money.
25. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Resort To Taking Advantage Of Those Around Them – After taking a job as a quarterback coach of a small Texas college, Leaf took advantage of the team’s players to get their pain killers.
26. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Face Great Consequences For Their Actions – Leaf was eventually arrested for felony drug charges.
27. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Repeat The Same Mistakes Over And Over Again – After going through rehab, Leaf was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  During the post-surgery radiation, he became addicted again.
28. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Hurt Those Closest To Them – “He called and said, ‘I’m going to jail mom.'” – Marcia Leaf
29. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Eventually Run Out Of Answers – “I wanted to die.  There was no answer for me.” – Leaf
30. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Must Hit Rock Bottom – ‘I woke up on April 1st, 2012.  My life started over that day.” – That was the day Leaf hit rock bottom in waking up on a prison floor.
31. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Often Squander Their Most Valuable Commodity…Time –“It (prison) was an awful place because I lost so much important time of my life.” – Leaf
32. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Have The Opportunity To Learn The Value Of Others – Leaf said, “Every human being is just as important as every other human being.  I couldn’t see that clearly because I thought I was more important than everyone else.” – Leaf
33. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Are Eventually Humbled – “He was humbled beyond any of my expectations.” – Marcia
34. After Being Humbled, Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Can Have A Second Chance – After prison, Leaf began helping people struggling with addictions for $15 an hour.  Leaf said, “I was making about $5 million a year and I was miserable.  I was making $15 an hour and never been happier.”  Leaf is turning his life around and is now making a positive impact into many hurting individuals.
35. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Must Develop A Spirit Of Gratitude  – Leaf said, “I’m very grateful I spent 32 months in prison.  I don’t recommend it.  But I’m very, very grateful.”
36. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Can Then Once Again Have Hope – Marcia said, “Our family is filled with so much hope.”
37. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Can Rebuild Their Relationships – Leaf called Harrison and apologized.
38. Leaders Who Squander Great Opportunity Can Still Recover From Anything – “We can recover from anything.” – Leaf.  Last month Leaf celebrated five months of sobriety.  You cannot watch this feature without absolutely rooting for Leaf and hoping continued success for him.

Hopefully Leaf’s story can become a cautionary tale or hope for redemption.  If you recognize yourself anywhere on this continuum, please make the necessary adjustments before you hit rock bottom.

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