Jim Tunney, the dean of National Football League referees, wrote a blog recently that caught my eye. He mentioned how when an NFL defensive player intercepts a pass, most of the defensive unit on the field runs to an end zone for a photo op. These players and many others feel the defensive unit is just taking pride in making a big play.
However, a fan wrote to Tunney, describing such tactics as showmanship and unnecessary. Then he asked how he should explain to his teenage son what pride is and how to define it.
Tunney had a great response: “Pride is like faith. You can’t touch it, but you can see it if you know what to look for. A simile might be that it is like carbon monoxide — colorless, odorless and tasteless. Intoxicating might be an apt word in that pride can be good or bad.”
Tunney created a PRIDE acronym. “P” was for personal power; “R” for responsibility (not blaming others); “I” for innovation (you predict the future by creating it); “D” is design (an action plan to achieve); “E” for everyone (as in T*E*A*M -Together Everyone Accomplishes More). Each of us needs all of us!
Pride is a complicated emotion. It can propel people to great accomplishments while also causing some to behave horrendously. Some people believe pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it.