One of the most effective tools I’ve learned in the many leadership trainings I’ve done over the years is the importance of journaling. Journaling creates the time and space to pause, step back, reflect, and gain insight. Out of the practice of journaling, I’ve come to many important realizations and gained many significant insights. One of them is this; I learned some of my most important lessons in leadership from my high school baseball coach.

I remember one time early in my career, we were in a close game and I got a chance to come in. The bases were loaded with two outs, and I got to pinch hit. I came in and I hit a double in a gap to the fence. I cleared the bases, and I stopped at second base, eyes fixed on my teammate who had started at first base. I held my breath, hoping he would slide into home plate and score. He did! We scored three runs, and I was excited. My coach called time out from where he was coaching at third base, and he called me over