Don’t Take Your Spot for Granted

Last week, I got to attend the Denver Broncos’ kickoff luncheon, where they invite partners of the team to hear from players, coaches and ownership about the upcoming season. Two players are seated at every table, and we had the pleasure of sitting with Karene Reid and Tycen Anderson.

I wasn’t familiar with either player, but I was immediately impressed by both of them. At an event where talking with sponsors could easily feel like an obligation or even a distraction from preparing for the season, they were engaging, humble and genuinely gracious for our support.

I got to sit next to Karene, a second-year linebacker and special teams player, and really enjoyed our conversation. He asked me as many questions as I asked him, but what stuck out to me most was his humility.

Karene went undrafted before making the Broncos roster last year. He talked about being away from his family throughout training camp and the relief of finally being able to move his wife and two children to Denver after he made the team.

I asked him how it felt coming into training camp for his second season. After making the team last year and having a full NFL season under his belt, I wondered if he felt a little more comfortable this time around.  He didn't.

Incredibly inspired by Denver Broncos LB Karene Reid's humility and drive.

He told me he approached this training camp with a similar mindset because he never wanted to assume his spot on the team was guaranteed. He shared that his path in college had been similar when he walked on at the University of Utah and earned his way onto the team there too.

He told me he never wants to take an opportunity for granted and always feels like he needs to prove that he belongs on the team.

I thought that was really insightful.  Think about how hard we work to earn the opportunities we want. We prepare for the interview.  We chase a big client. We work toward the promotion. Put in the extra effort to earn someone's trust.  Then we get it.  And over time, it's easy to become comfortable with something we once desperately wanted.

Karene reminded me how powerful it can be to continue showing up with the mindset that helped us earn the opportunity in the first place. To remain grateful. To stay hungry. To keep learning. And to continue proving through our actions that we belong.

As leaders, I think there’s another piece to this. The higher we rise in an organization, the easier it can be to believe our position has already proven our value. But leadership isn't something we earn once. Every day gives us another opportunity to demonstrate why people should trust us, follow us and believe in what we're trying to accomplish.

Karene had already made the team once.  But he still showed up determined to prove he still belonged there.

What’s something in your life today that you once worked really hard to earn? And are you still treating it that way?