In 1992 a 15-year-old boy displayed some talent playing quarterback. His father took him to get some pointers from a football coach at the local Junior College. The coach gave the boy tips, lessons, and techniques. The lessons never stopped. The coach and the boy started working together to sharpen his fundamentals.
The coach assessed the boy playing the position, “Your feet are too far apart. That’s not where your release point should be. Look at the angle of your front shoulder!” He analyzed every detail and provided mentorship. The boy listened and put in the work. He practiced the fundamentals long and hard until it was second nature. He absorbed, and implemented the exercises and drills.
You might have heard of the boy; it was none other than Tom Brady, who went on to become arguably the most successful quarterback in football history. Jessica Simpson, hired a vocal coach when she was just 11-years-old and went on to have a very successful music career.
There are countless examples of people who realized they had some talent but needed guidance to achieve their wildest dreams.
We play too small, we convince ourselves that coaches are for artists, athletes, Olympians, musicians, actors, the people that are already rich and famous. It’s the exact opposite, the people we all know and love for their movies, songs, and athletic achievements all have one thing in common: they BELIEVED IN THEMSELVES AND INVESTED IN THEIR DREAM! Those two things are what 99% of the potential clients I talk to lack.
A potential client reaches out because they want something more out of life, but they have no idea what, why, or how. It’s just a feeling somewhere deep inside that life could be better. But without a dream worth pursuing and a desire to create it, coaching is just snake oil.
Why does coaching work? My experience has shown me there are two main reasons. One, your spouse, mama, or friends are just going to tell you, “it’s ok you lost baby, you’ll do better next time,” or “don’t worry honey, you’ll get the next promotion” or “you’re right your boss is a dick.” Our loved ones just want to love us, protect us from hurt, and make us feel better, that’s unconditional love. A 15-year-old Tom Brady didn’t need to be told: “it’ll be ok.” He required an objective set of trained eyes to dissect his actions, provide immediate feedback, and design drills that would increase his skill. He needed someone to critique his play, spot weaknesses, and create action plans to overcome those weaknesses. He needed mentorship and support for his dream. Your family provides love and support too, but they will not make you better at achieving your goals.
The second reason coaching works is that people who engage in a coaching partnership have a dream they will work for. They covet this dream so much that they embrace the work even when it’s overwhelming, stay open to feedback, and set realistic plans with methods to measure their progress.
As a coach, I know that I always come from a place of absolute love. I love every one of my clients, but what makes my love different is that my main objective isn’t protection from pain, it’s growth and expansion. Change can hurt, but I need you to experience that without avoiding it. As a coach, I love you, but I’m not going to console, comfort, or aim to please you. I’m going to ensure you understand why you haven’t created your dream yet. I’ll help you dissect your actions, beliefs and then we use the knowledge to make you stronger, faster, and wiser in order to attain your dream. Your friends and family mean well and can cheer you on, but a Coach will ensure you succeed. The rich and famous aren’t the only ones that deserve coaching, professional and dedicated support.
You deserve it too!
For more of my musings, check me out on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/c/BlackedOutBuddhist
