Romans 4:17 says, “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did”. This verse has always given me great comfort. As a Christian, it reminds me you are never without options. You are never without opportunities no matter how dire things may seem.
Because of COVID, your career options may seem over, your sales funnel may seem dry, your connections may all seem lost but God gives life to things that are dead. He brings things into being which currently are not.
I was reminded of this truth when I read Ben Reiter’s profile of Texas Rangers center fielder Ian Desmond in the September 26, 2016 edition of Sports Illustrated. One season prior his career seemed over. Then he signed a contract for $80+ million.
How he did it is something all leaders can learn from. The following are 14 Lessons For Leaders Who Have Lost Hope And Feel They Are Out Of Options:
- Do Not Dwell On Past Mistakes – Desmond turned down a 7-year, $106 million contract from the Washington Nationals just two years ago. Dwelling on this would do Desmond no good today.
- Be Thankful For What You Do Have – Desmond said, “I still have an opportunity to provide for my family. As long as I have a jersey, I’m cool.”
- Keep Working Hard – Desmond put a batting cage in his Florida home. Everyday he would go outside and keep hitting as he waited for his opportunity.
- Look For A Place To Serve – One day Desmond noticed a Japanese college team practicing. He started catching balls in the outfield to help them out.
- You Never Know Who Is Watching – Unbeknownst to him, the Rangers had been attempting to acquire him since the previous July and had a scout watch him for six games.
- Be Willing To Change – Desmond had been a very successful shortstop with the Washington Nationals. But after reading a July 6th scouting report, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, “if he would ever be open to it, this guy would be a dynamic outfielder.” After signing a 1-year contract, Desmond switched positions.
- Hire A Coach – No matter how good you are, everyone can get even better with a coach. Desmond enlisted outfield coach Jayce Tingler to work with him.
- Put In Extra Work – Tingler put Desmond through three one-on-one tutorials each day during spring training.
- Practice Real Life Situations – During batting practice, Desmond would chase fly balls at full-speed just like he would in a real game.
- Think Outside The Box – Many of the players kept hitting home runs during batting practice. Therefore, Desmond could not get the work he wanted. So he went to the minor league practices where players could not hit it as far and he got in the amount of work he needed.
- Remember Your First Love – Do not get distracted. Teammate Cole Hamels said, “He’s one of those guys who really knows how to separate the business side and the actual pure joy of playing the game.”
- Practice Good Financial Stewardship – Desmond said, “My wife and I are extremely frugal. She still shops at T.J. Maxx. Not that there’s anything wrong with T.J. Maxx. We feel like, man, we already have enough money to live forever. If we spend this money, we’re doing it really wrong.”
- Focus On Making The Most Of Times Of Transition – Desmond concludes, “If I took a loss financially, what I gained as a professional was worth every penny.”
- Leaders Who Do The Right Things When No One Is Watching Become In High Demand – Daniels now says, “We’re gonna have a lot more competition for him. He’s gonna fit everybody. But we know he fits us, and it’s a conversation we’re gonna have.”
What is one thing from this list which gives you encouragement today?
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