đLead by Chopping Wood and Carrying Water
Picture this.
Itâs early. The sun isnât fully up yet.
One athlete walks across the field before anyone else arrives. No music. No hype video. No audience. Just dew on the grass and a quiet routine.
They line up cones.
They take a few warmup reps.
They reset a drill station a coach left out the night before.
No one sees it.
No one praises it.
No one posts it.
But thatâs leadership taking shape.
Not in the spotlight.
In the shadows.
Thatâs the world Chop Wood, Carry Water lives in. Leadership built one simple act at a time.
đ§ŹThe Insight
Leadership isnât a title.
Itâs repetition.
The best leaders in sports arenât necessarily the biggest voices or the most talented players. Theyâre the ones who take ownership of the small, unglamorous jobs that make everyone else better.
Leaders refill water jugs.
Leaders clean up gear without being asked.
Leaders reset the standard when it slips.
Repetition builds identity. Identity builds trust. Trust builds influence.
Itâs slow. Itâs quiet. But it lasts.
đŞThe Story
One of the core stories in Chop Wood, Carry Water is about an apprentice archer who wants to become a master right away.
He thinks greatness comes from dramatic moments.
He thinks the big stage is where leadership happens.
But the master keeps telling him:
âBefore you can draw the bow, you must learn to chop wood and carry water.â
Not because wood and water matter.
But because discipline matters.
Consistency matters.
Humility matters.
The apprentice realizes mastery isnât built in the arena.
Itâs built in the boring moments no one claps for.
And funny enough, those are the moments teammates trust the most.
You follow the person who works when no one is watching.
You follow the person who shows up the same way on Tuesday morning as they do on game day Saturday.
You follow the person who does the simple things well.
Because if theyâre faithful with the small, you trust them with the big.
đThe Shift
Great leaders serve the team by taking care of the little things.
Not because they love chores.
Not because theyâre trying to look humble.
But because they understand something most athletes miss:
How you do the small things is how you do the big things.
Sweeping the sheds.
Picking up trash.
Carrying equipment.
Resetting a drill.
Encouraging the kid whoâs struggling.
Helping the teammate no one notices.
These actions arenât random acts of kindness.
Theyâre repetitions shaping a leaderâs identity.
đ§The Takeaway
Leadership is built in the mundane.
The way you show up in the unseen world eventually becomes the way you show up in the seen world.
If an athlete wants to earn trust, influence the team, and become someone others follow, they donât need a speech. They need a standard.
One you repeat every day.
One no one has to remind you of.
One your teammates come to rely on.
Chop wood.
Carry water.
Lead quietly.
And over time, everyone will feel the difference.
đPut It Into Practice
For athletes:
⢠Pick one small task this week youâll own without being asked.
⢠Choose a teammate to encourage every practice.
⢠Set one routine youâll repeat daily, even when you donât feel like it.
⢠Evaluate: Where do I lead only when people are watching?
For teams:
⢠Give athletes micro-roles that build ownership.
⢠Celebrate the unseen actions, not just the loud ones.
⢠Point out leaders who lift the team by doing the little things right.
đ
The Locker Room
Mindset Move: Small Wins, Big Impact
Most athletes chase big moments.
Leaders chase small, repeatable habits.
Set a standard this week. Something simple. Something youâll follow through on. Let consistency be your confidence.
â¤ď¸The Parentsâ Bleachers
If you want your child to become a leader, praise the things no one else notices.
⢠The way they help a teammate.
⢠The way they pick up after practice.
⢠The way they show up on time.
⢠The way they keep a good attitude even when theyâre not in the spotlight.
Your affirmation teaches them what matters.
And over time, youâre shaping a leader who doesnât need attention to do the right thing.