What is it all for?

Recently I was having a discussion with one of my athletes about what it takes to get to the "next level." I often talk about using athletics as an avenue to become what we are created to be. This looks different for everyone, but I actively strive to encourage my male athletes to be great men. Getting to the next level requires one to use everything he has to be his best and do his best while entering into manhood.

Last spring, as I was developing the curriculum for my summer camp system, I stumbled across Raising a Modern Day Knight by Robert Lewis. This book was written to fathers of young boys and encourages them to raise their sons similar to the medieval knights. Lewis is clear that we need to raise our sons to be great men, but just knowing this is not enough. We must have a vision for manhood.

I have heard parents, teachers and coaches instruct young boys to be men. It usually happens when they are trying to correct an error. It typically sounds like, "come on, be a man!" or "step up and be man." What does be a man mean, though? Often times we attempt to instruct young boys to be men with no clear vision of what that looks like. Lewis gives us a vision for manhood with four clear objectives and added a code of conduct as a means to produce men.

A Vision for Manhood

Lewis states four manhood principles: Real men (1) reject passivity, (2) accept responsibility, (3) lead courageously, and (4) expect the greater reward. He suggests that though men have a natural inborn aggressiveness, they tend to become passive at home and avoid social responsibility. These principles, if followed, prevent passivity from becoming a significant problem.

My answer to that athlete about getting to the next level dealt primarily with the fourth principle - expecting the greater reward. We preach the first three principles on a regular basis in many arenas of life, but often times we don't go as far as to add the fourth principle. It's uncomfortable and unacceptable to speak of living for more than ourselves. People generally feel that it crosses an imaginary line into spiritual topics that become taboo to mention. However, our spirit is part of our lives.

Athletes refer to the spiritual dimension in many ways. What I call our "soul" is often synonymous with words like heart, drive and desire. It is a key component of the Total Athlete (body, mind and soul). Regardless of what we call it, this is the focus of the fourth principle. In order to become the best that we can be, we need to train the spiritual dimension, too. We train our soul by expecting the greater reward.

A Real Man Expects the Greater Reward

He cautions that all of the above require a duty of sacrifice, but that the knight can expect non-material rewards, such as an honorable name, respect of his community, etc.

Being a man is never a selfish endeavor. Individuals are not the main characters in the story of life. It's not about me. It's not about you. We all have higher callings and responsibilities that extend beyond ourselves. Lewis referred to this as a transcendent cause.

Life is ultimately unsatisfying if it is lived solely for self. Jesus said if you give up your life you will find it, so if you live for a cause greater than yourself, you'll be happy and fulfilled. A transcendent cause is a cause that a person believes is truly heroic (a noble endeavor calling for bravery and sacrifice), timeless (has significance beyond the moment), and is supremely meaningful (not futile).

Immediately, I think of great movies like Braveheart, Gladiator and Last of the Mohicans. These are great movies because the transcendent cause in each is so evident. It is the central theme in the story and make each character's struggle worth it.

This athlete asked what it takes to get to the next level. He wanted to know "the secret." It's simple: fight for a bigger cause. It's not about us as individuals. We can't just think of ourselves if we desire to be the best that we can be. We need a vision for manhood and a transcendent cause.