T.E.A.M.

5th June 2021

This was written in gratitude to one of the greatest teams I had the honour and pleasure to work with, my Amity Team. Thank you, Ella, Sarah, and Madeleine. May you continue your journey with me to fulfill our greatest potential together.

A rabbit nibbled at the grass oblivious to the danger it was in. The air still felt damp from the rain in the morning. The scent was in the air, triggering Lucy’s keen nose. She looked at her partner in crime, Cornelius. He looked back with a knowing glance. Lucy circled to the right cutting the rabbit’s escape into the meadow while Cornelius started to run towards the rabbit.

The rabbit caught sight of Cornelius and darted away towards the meadow. Lucy dashed in from the right and the rabbit made a tremendous leap vertically, spinning its body round in mid-air. When it landed, it changed its course nimbly, only a small creature could do with finesse. Lucy, with her powerful but bulkier body, could not switch her course as fast. Making full use of the milliseconds’ advantage, the rabbit ran off and dove into the nearest hole to safety.

Cornelius gamboled over to Lucy and gave her a lick, as though saying, “Good try. No worries. We will get it next time!” They both started a game of chase for the next 20 minutes. They knew they could count on the other. They were a team.

Who is your team in your life? John Donne said, “No man is an island.” To thrive, optimise and succeed in life, we all need our teams. There are many various teams you have in your life. If you are employed, your co-workers are your team. Each party does their part, their area of expertise, what they are trained for, collaborating together to achieve a common objective, whether it is to provide a service or a product for their customers. It is possible to do a one-man-show, however, the productivity will be severely limited and the contribution to the marketplace small.

Your family is your home team as well. It may be just you and your partner. Your partner is your team. You may share your daily activities with your partner, sharing your life experiences. You may choose to invest time together to build a stronger relationship over time. The more you understand each other, knowing their dreams, character, and fears, the more you can contribute to their well-being to allow them to become the person they desire to be, the better versions of themselves. In doing so, not only does that allow you to grow as well, together, you bring more goodness, even greatness, to your world. You are improving humanity, human by human, starting with your immediate environment.

Maybe you were not blessed with a home team. However, you found great friends that serve to help you in your life. They understand, support, and love you. They want to see you succeed in your dreams, goals, and aspirations. They are there when you need a word of encouragement. They offer you a shoulder to cry on when life gets too tough on your own. Regardless of how you met and how your friendship started, it grows stronger as time passes. It becomes more than just a chance meeting, it grows meaning. The invisible bond grows over time and becomes more valuable. It becomes unique and there is nothing like it in the world.

Perhaps you have a pet. Your pet is your team. He provides you with the company, a sense of purpose and responsibility, and possibly, even inspiration. You are able to relate your life to him. He listens without judgment or prejudice and actually provides unconditional love. When the world does not understand or misunderstands you, you can rely on him to stand by your side and be on your team. You are never alone with your pet by your side. You stand strong, bold, and together with your companion who will stick by you, no matter what. The world can rage against you but it does not matter as the integrity and comfort of your pet will calm you down always.

It is possible to live life on your own and many do. If you do, you have your team too. Arguably, it may be your most important team. Without this team, all other teams may not function at all or simply not able to optimise to their fullest potential. Your team resides internally. They are your voice in your head, your supreme soul, your sense of self, your fears, your logical brain, and your monkey on your back. They make a powerful team when they co-operate with each other. In doing so, they can elevate your life, heighten your sensations, improve your results and feed your soul. You live better, you love better, you are better. The other teams you have in your life, be it work, friends, or family, all improve when your internal team is working and functioning at its best. In those moments when they choose to do their own thing and not listen or co-operate with each other, all hell breaks loose. Not only are you not able to function and be your best self, producing amazing results as you know you are capable of, but you also make the silliest mistakes and worst judgment calls. Sometimes, you even cry for no reason. You feel unfulfilled, pain, sadness, and like you have failed. You get tired, desperate, and frustrated. All because your team is refusing to co-operate.

It is vital to understand your team and learning how to make them work. In doing so, you can pull out the best in them. They all have an important function, even your fears. There is nothing excessive or wrong with them. Learn to understand each component, learn their purpose, and how they serve to relate to each other. They all exist to serve you if you allow them to.

Lucy and Cornelius are a team. T.E.A.M. can stand for Together Everyone Achieves More. The power and effectiveness of your team is directly proportional to how you manage them. Does your team empower or hinder you?

‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ – African Proverb

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