How Albert taught me how to "make the team"

TEAM:

Solid finish to the work day. As I hung up the phone after my last "car coaching", I tuned into ESPN Radio eager to hear about the busiest sports day of the year. After all I was on my way home to watch the big game. But it wasn't the talk about the Men's NCAA National Championship, or the Donovan McNabb trade, or even Tiger's return to golf & the Masters that got my attention. It was baseball that got me. Yes, today was opening day for Major League Baseball, but it wasn't even the start of season that excited me. (I have grown apart from baseball over the last couple of years with talk of steroids and HGH.) It was a discussion that MLB personality John Kruk was having about his favorite to win the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals and the reigning MVP, Albert Pujols.

Kruk went on to share a discussion he and Albert had during Spring Training. He asked Albert what motivates him, Pujols replied something to the effect of he comes to Spring training every year to make sure he makes the team. Are you kidding me? Wait, did the best player in the land just say he goes to spring training to make sure he makes the team? There is no "respect me" because I have won multiple MVP's (3), have been an All-Star several times (8), or World Series Champion (1)? Heck there wasn't even a line about how he works really hard or how lucky he has been over his career, the crap you usually hear from professional studs.... I almost crashed my car.

I don't know Albert Pujols, and I don't think we all have to be sports junkies like myself to appreciate Albert's perceptions. I have read of Albert's accomplishments on the field (thank you Google), but today I learned everything I need to know about Albert off the field. I learned that respecting the game is about showing up everyday like its your last and not taking anything for granted. I learned that playing to "make the team" means practicing your craft over and over no matter if you are "the best". Naturally there is a connection to what happens on and off the field, but the fact that he respects his craft so much not to call attention to it, astonishes me. WOW!!

So I leave to ponder the following: What can Albert teach you about your craft? How can we respect our craft enough to make sure we show up everyday to "make the team"? What impact will this have on how you practice or your results? What would happen if we didn't take our customers, partners, or TEAM members for granted? What results would change if our TEAM had Albert's mindset?