Success is one thing many people crave in their various endeavors, however, there are various factors that determine one’s level of success, and there are also key points to note when measuring success. No matter where we find ourselves, everyone wants to associate themselves with a successful person. A successful person is not one who has never failed, rather it is one who despite the numerous failures, still thrives and does everything to succeed.
Loyalty to a cause is a very important determinant of the success of the initiator of the cause, and the cause itself. It takes a lot of courage and will to stand tall and loyal to a cause even when the chips around you are falling. Such loyalty is rare, but is also the driving force behind successful businesses, as it takes a lot of discipline to stay loyal to a cause, even when it looks like you are making a terrible decision of remaining loyal. As an entrepreneur, your loyalty to your business is one of the most important parts of the business, and this is due to the fact that if you are not loyal to your business, then the slightest setback can deter you. One man that exhibited such loyalty to his brand despite all the odds is Steven Gerrard, and there is a lot to learn from his lifestyle.
Brief History
Steven Gerrard was born on 30th May 1980 in Whiston, Merseyside. His first move into football began when he played for the hometown team (Whiston Juniors), and that was where his football prowess was discovered by Liverpool scouts, and at the age of nine, he became a part of the Liverpool Academy. At the age of fourteen, Gerrard made to try out different clubs, including Manchester United, he, however, was not successful at being picked by any club till late 1997 when Liverpool offered him a contract, which turned out to be the first professional contract he would receive.
Career
His first appearance with the Liverpool was in 1998, and it was on a premier league level against Blackburn Rovers, where he came in as a substitute in the last minutes of the match. His debut season saw him appearing thirteen times. Gerrard was no star player in the beginning, even though he had great potentials, he was barely noticeable on the field of play whenever he came into the game, and that was partly because there was some nervousness about him and the fact that he may have been out of position, but that did not deter him, as he saw many reasons not to be deterred but rather to do more and improve on his areas of strength.
Gerrard’s first professional red card was gotten in a match against Everton, and it was as a result of a late challenge against Kevin Campbell. In the 1999 to 2000 football season, Gerrard had still not scored any goal, as he was struggling hard to make impacts, and his hard work paid out because, in that same season, he scored his first goal to give his team victory. Gerrard began to get better as a footballer, and within the 2000 season had made fifty starts. He, however, did not give up, he allowed his resilience to be the backup and support for his career. Within the 2000/2001 football season, Gerard performed very well in the different matches played. Some major honors he got include Football League Cup, the UEFA Cup, and the FA Cup. His peers also named him the PFA young player of the year. The following season after the 2000/2001 season, he won the UEFA Super Cup and FA Charity Shield. In 2003, in a Football League Cup Final against Manchester United, Gerrard scored the opening goal which was one of the two goals that saw Liverpool winning the Football League Cup.
Captainship
Between 2002 and 2003, Gerrard served as the vice-captain of the Liverpool team while Sami Hyypia was the captain. All the while Gerrard had been playing, he always portrayed the traits of being a good leader, and even though he did not ask for it, he landed a leading role as the captain of the team in 2003.
Loyalty
For some people, their loyalty is a function of the side that is offering more benefits, this was however not the case with Gerrard. In the 2003/2004 season, the team was experiencing hard times which had a negative impact on the overall performance of the team, and it was so bad that Gerrard had thoughts about moving on, and to this end, Chelsea offered him a £20 million deal to leave Liverpool for Chelsea, which he turned down to the surprise of many. Again, between 2004 and 2007, there were a couple of ups and downs for the team, and there were talks about Steven Gerrard not renewing his contract. However, the 2005 Champions League final was a memorable one, as Liverpool came from being three goals down to a 3-3 tie just after extra time, and Gerrard was one of the scorers. The match ended with Liverpool winning, and after twenty years, they had bagged the Champions League trophy. Gerrard got accolades for being a major force in the team’s come back, they named him Man of the Match, and he also got the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award. Still, in 2005, Chelsea made another move for the star player with a mouth-watering £100,000/week offer, and yet again, Gerrard turned the offer down, and instead signed another 4-year contract with Liverpool. In the 2011/2012 season, he was also offered a move to join Bayern Munich, and he turned that down also.
One important lesson to learn from all of these is the fact that Gerrard put service first before profits, and that has put him in football’s hall of fame as one of the most loyal players ever to grace the Liverpool jersey. As an entrepreneur, greatness is not just about how profitable your business is, but rather the positive impacts your business is bringing to the lives of many.
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