Better Than You Found It

Using your presence to make a notable impact

When we leave the weight room, gym, turf or any facility after our training session our goal is to make sure that we clean and organize it in a way that not only looks as good as it did when we walked in, but it looks even better.

“BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT!”

The message is this: we want the next people to walk in and see this place and it be obvious, for positive reasons, who was here before them.

It’s five simple words being shouted at the end of a workout, but the more I’ve reflected on them, I think it’s a pretty good framework for how to live your life. All too often, we get caught up in what we can gain from things, but I think if we’ll instead consider how we can give to those things, not only will we be proud of who we become, but we’ll also be proud of the legacy we leave behind.

Your presence in any given athletic program is probably going to be limited to four years at the most. What can you do to leave that program “better than you found it”?

Set a standard of excellence. Maybe there isn’t one now or maybe you can raise the bar on the one that already exists. This can include a lot of things, but it’s ultimately going to be the only way that you can truly leave your mark on where you are that’s bigger than a record board.

Let’s say you choose to set a standard of keeping your locker room spotless and organized in a uniform manner. This will create an environment that people will step into and immediately notice there’s something uncommon about this team. At the same time, it will also teach you the attention to detail and commitment to a team that it will take to be successful in all walks of life. We call that a win-win. Your choice to give something to the program instead of just taking from it benefits the team in the short-term, but pays you back as well in the long-term.

Many people take a transactional approach to relationships. The thought process says that we’ll put just enough in to maximize what we can get out. We would be well served to approach our friendships with the “better than you found it” mentality instead.

Here’s a good exercise: ask yourself if your presence has helped your friends become better than they were the day you met them? As you get older, you will have friends come and go. That’s just part of life. Will they be better for having known you?

Ultimately, you represent a lot of people as you go through life from day to day. What opportunities do you have to make a lasting impact on others in those situations? Thoughtless actions often have the unintended consequence of tarnishing the reputation of your school or community. On the other hand, being thoughtful and considerate will enhance the way people see those things.

It happens all the time. Maybe your running to the gas station in a shirt that identifies where you go to school. What a great opportunity to make your administration, teachers and classmates look good! When you hold the door you demonstrate a thoughtfulness that will reflect on others.

If you’re at a restaurant and have an opportunity to leave a big tip, do it. Even if it isn’t warranted. That kind of generosity will certainly leave that server in a better state than when you walked in. Imagine if everyone did that. You get an opportunity to leave someone feeling better at the end of a long shift than when they walked in the door.

That’s it. That’s the mindset. Every day and every moment is an opportunity to invest in everything that you come in contact with. Your team. Your friends. Your school. Your community. You can leave behind a legacy of greatness in everything that you touch.

And if we can all adopt this mindset, we may look up years from now and everything around us might just be better than we found it.

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