The problem with the concept of paying dues in a job, in a career, in life is that it implies that once a person has proven herself, she never has to put in the muscle again. I beg to differ.

The minute I become “too good” for something, I begin to lose touch with the people on my team. That doesn’t mean I have to do every job, every time, but it does mean that I need to be willing to roll up my sleeves just as much as I expect everyone else to do it. It keeps me plugged in, it helps me understand how the work gets done, and it underscores my credibility.

Surprisingly (or not), football got me thinking about this. Following last Sunday’s Patriots-driven embarrassment of my Indianapolis Colts, the winning coach took a lot of criticism for leaving one of his star players in the game too long. Very late in the contest, that player suffered a broken arm in a special teams play. Critics say that with the outcome of the game already firmly decided, the guy should have been sitting on the sidelines to preserve him for future match-ups.

I think that’s hogwash, and clearly so did his coach. One sports writer put it this way, and I agree completely: You’re not special enough to NOT play special teams. (Emphasis added.)

If you think you’ve paid your dues, be sure you don’t let them expire. You’re not that special.

Note: Like any good Colts fan, I HATE the Patriots. As much as it pains me to admit, however, they got this one right.