Sometimes we’re a pawn. We’re on the front line fighting and taking care of the day to day execution. We follow instruction knowing that we play a small, but important role.

Other times we’re a bishop or a rook. We have one specific thing that we do very well, and we have to perform when called upon.

Sometimes we’re a knight. We might not follow the conventional path, but we have the power to change the game – particularly when we team up with our other knight partner.

Other times we’re the queen. We’re the most powerful player in the game, but we cripple our team if we make an early mistake. We need to realize our power and stay ready to pounce without being reckless.

Sometimes (although rarely) we’re the king. We can’t do much, but we must stay alive at all costs.

And sometimes we’re the player behind the board. We see the big picture and pull the strings, but we don’t actually have the power to participate in the fighting. We’re the hands-off leader.

At different times in our lives, our roles changes. Often times we have different roles in different situations, and sometimes we even play more than one role at the same time.

The trick is figuring out which role(s) to play for the well-being of ourselves and the greater team, and then being the best version of that role that we can be.

-Brandon