Who are your cheerleaders? For whom are you a cheerleader?
Don Landoll, owner of Landoll Manufacturing in Marysville, Kansas, started out in a small garage in a small town in rural Kansas and grew his business to employ nearly 900 people now. He attributes his success to those early days of having “cheerleaders up and down the street.”
I think about his statement frequently as I identify my cheerleaders and what it means for me to be a cheerleader for someone else. (I promise, I won’t bring pom poms and the Lord knows I’d hurt myself if I tried a cartwheel.)
For me, here’s what a cheerleader looks like:
* They believe in you
* They encourage you with words and pats on the back
* They challenge you to pick yourself up when you’ve fallen, dust yourself off and get back on the horse
* They challenge you to step out of the boat and walk on the water
* They catch you, or at least lift you up, if you sink
* They know your weaknesses, but challenge you to play to your strengths
* Your name is safe in their mouth
* They see things in you that you don’t see yourself
Who are your cheerleaders? Let them know how much they are appreciated. Today. Don’t wait; do it soon!For whom are you a cheerleader? Reach out to them with a special encouragement. Today. Don’t wait; do it soon!
And if you can do pom poms and cartwheels, power to you! I promise I won’t though; there are just some things you can’t unsee.