The Disease of Me

"The force of selfishness is as inevitable and as calculable as the force of gravitation"

—Hailliard

Pat Riley argues that whether we know it or not, all of us are team players and it is through the team that we find significance. Yet the team can be undermined by the Disease of Me. In The Winner Within, he describes it as the overpowering belief in the importance of oneself. “The most difficult thing for individuals to do when they’re part of the team is to sacrifice. It is so easy to become selfish in a team environment.” The Disease of Me is ever present, but it can be anticipated and overcome. Riley lists the following symptoms of the disease:

• Inexperience in dealing with sudden success
• Chronic feelings of underappreciation
• Paranoia over being cheated out of one's rightful share
• Resentment against the competence of partners
• Personal effort mustered solely to outshine a teammate
• A leadership vacuum resulting from the formation of cliques and rivalries
• Feelings of frustration even when the team performs successfully

Riley cautions, “Without that sacrifice, you’ll never know your team’s potential, or your own.”

What about the teams in your life? Are they due for a checkup?