I have a good friend. His name is Jim. We had the opportunity to work together a few years ago. He saved me from sure failure. When I met Jim, I was way outside of my lane – trying to do a job that I really wasn’t that qualified to do. Jim came in, gave me an assist, and together, we built a team of young go-getters that one day will make an tremendous impact on this world. More importantly, we shared a mutual respect for each other and a similar world view. One that starts and ends with kindness.
Jim and I left the company around the same time. I went on to another opportunity, he went back to his retirement in “Boomer’s Paradise”. We’ve stayed in touch and every now and then he brightens my day with one of his witticisms – his special way of looking at our crazy world and somehow making fun of it, but at the same time, making perfectly good sense. I enjoy these occasional emails and texts. It makes my day go better.
Jim doesn’t share everything about his life – he’s private like that. And I respect this, because I am the same way (you see why we’re friends?). And though we are the same age, I have learned quite a bit from my good friend.
Failure is Not an Option
I’ve learned that Jim’s no superhero. But to me, he acts like one. His devotion to life and family is unyielding – he’s fiercely loyal and determined to beat any adversity that has the misfortune of crossing his path. He doesn’t acknowledge failure as an end result – for him, failure is only a temporary detour until he gets back on the right path. The odds don’t bother him. He has the intestinal fortitude of a riverboat gambler. He’ll let the whole thing ride because he is confident that he will beat the odds.
Never Give Up
He doesn’t ask for pity and doesn’t act pitiful. And sometimes he can be a “man’s man” and that can be a pain in the ass, but for the most part, he is just hard-headed, loyal, devoted Jim. And these are the qualities that allow him to grapple with life on his own terms, and more often than not, come out on top. And since I’ve known Jim, I have come to believe that whatever he is facing, he will eventually beat it down and come out a winner. Because there is no quit in him. For Jim, the two words “give up” are just not consistent with his mindset. He won’t give up. Ever.
No, He’s Not a Superhero. But a Leader…
And so, my friend Jim is not a superhero. He lives his life anonymously without fanfare in the former Dust Bowl. And in today’s ‘hero worshipping’ times, when we always seem to be looking for the next celebrity to model, emulate or lose our minds over, we need look no further than to the many women and men in our lives who live a quiet humility and have “Jim-like” qualities. Because it’s not the ones who tell us they are our heroes that will save us; it’s the men and women, like Jim, who quietly save us – without credit or acknowledgement – because it’s the right thing to do. And that’s what leaders do.
