The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team proved once again that they earned every right to be recognized by claiming their 4th World Cup.
Previously a student-athlete, and now a coach myself, I recognize how hard it can be to mesh together talent. You can have the best possible people on your team, and it can be stacked with the most talented people in your county, or even in the country, but if there is no heart or common passion for the end goal, then you can almost guarantee there will be failure. However, when that passion is present among an entire team, and everyone is on board and committed to reaching a common goal, then you can be unstoppable.
It is exactly what the Women’s U.S. Soccer Team displayed by winning the World Cup. Each woman on that team demonstrated what winning meant to them. They stood by each other and held each other accountable, believing ultimately in themselves and what they were striving to achieve.
But, passion and drive aren’t just found in sports. It can be found all around us, in what we do every day. Whether it is in a corporate office, a small business, a start-up, or a non-profit, when you bring people together who want to make a difference, and who believe in the work that they are doing, there is no limit to what can be accomplished.
Teamwork isn’t easy to come by, because if you have one person who isn’t bought in, one person who isn’t as committed or doesn’t wholeheartedly believe in the end goal, then that mindset can spread rapidly among the group. Commitment is what determines success or failure. To see a group of women who are so passionate about their sport, and their country was not only empowering but inspiring. It reminded me that no matter how frustrating things can get, we all have to work together and give it our best to move forward, keep breaking ceilings, and keep shattering goals. Not only professionally, but personally.
After the team claimed their title, Nike released an ad celebrating the group of women. The chant heard throughout the video was empowering, but the ending phrase is what caught my attention:
“Women will conquer more than just the soccer field by breaking every single glass ceiling and having their faces carved on Mount Rushmore; and that we’ll be fighting not just to make history, but to change it—forever.“
The Women’s team had a lot of common goals: win the World Cup, inspire future generations of soccer players, and prove to the world and U.S. Soccer Federation that they deserved equal pay. What did they achieve? All of it.
As a woman who started her career in a predominantly all-women office, I am passionate about the work that I do, and the message I am sending when I show up for work every day, and continue to grow myself professionally and personally when I get the opportunity. I am committed to helping my colleagues when they need an opinion, or a hand on a project because I know the work that we do reflects on us as a whole. Most importantly, I understand that each of us plays a vital role in our business being successful.
The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team proved that throughout the World Cup. They each performed their roles to the best of their ability, and in the end, they came out with a trophy, and the credibility to achieve something greater— equal pay.
They taught me that there is no limit to what can happen when everyone accepts their role and performs to their best ability. When everyone understands what it takes to be successful, that is when great things happen.