Pep Guardiola is one of those people who found wealth, fame and success at a young age. At 44 he has already won the Champions League on two occasions, as well as five league titles in Germany and Spain. Yet, he has admitted he craves affection more than managerial accolades or success.
‘If you want to know what I want in life and from my work, I want to be loved,’ said Guardiola during a candid lecture on leadership in Spain. ‘I do not seek more. That’s what I want, that’s a feeling. Really, I’m not looking for titles.’
The Bayern Munich coach was speaking during the 50th anniversary of ‘Ampans’ – an organisation concerned with helping children with disabilities with education and integration – at the Kursaal theatre in Manresa, Catalonia on Tuesday the 23rd of June 2015.
Despite an impressive trophy haul from just six years in management, the former Barcelona midfielder told his audience at the conference that rather than being obsessed with silverware, he just wants to be loved.
After all, we do what we do because we want to feel important, valued, accepted, appreciated and loved.
Guardiola, who also played for Barcelona revealed that all of us, including millionaire footballers, want to be loved and appreciated. When we run low on affection our confidence and performance also suffer.
He highlighted how he once brought the best out of a star player feeling low on confidence and affection.
‘I went with him to a cafe and we talked about life, not about football. In the next game he scored two of the four goals our team scored. He felt something special, because he felt loved.’
May your heart be filled with the peace of God that defyies human understanding and with the love of God that trancends all boundaries.
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