The Lesson I Learned from my Coach During a Workout
Steve Flint
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn from a great coach, Steve Flint. This man helped me reach my goals and even exceed them in the sport of basketball. I never thought that practice would be so important until he told me his secret. He said, "If you not making mistakes, you're not getting better." Making mistakes and being uncomfortable allows you to grow new skills because it forces you out of your comfort zone. Thanks to Coach Flint I know getting better is one two things, being intentional and being uncomfortable.
Be Intentional
Beginning with the end in mind, is key when looking to be successful. If you don't know what you are trying to achieve then it will be very difficult to know if you are successful or not.
So before you get started, you have to ask, "What am I trying to accomplish?"
It's important to be intentional because if you don't know what the end goal is, it will make your ability to create a plan difficult. And without a plan, how can you expect to get there? How do you measure success?
This key factor of success can help in many different aspects of life such as parenting and relationships with friends or coworkers. Since you will know what you are trying to be intentional about, it will help keep your goals in sight and make them more achievable.
Have a Plan
It's important to start with the end goal in mind so that you can create a plan or strategy to get there. If you don't have one then it is likely that nothing new will happen- which means you will be stuck at the same spot over and over.
Take some time to think about what you want or need, then create a plan with steps that can help you get there. With a clear plan now your activities and behavior have meaning. There will be no wasted energy.
This is not just for work or business. The plan can be in any aspect of your life, such as marital, partnerships or relationships with friends.
Creating a plan will help you keep your goals in sight so that they are achievable. It's never too late to start- incorporating this into your daily routine will have huge effects on the quality of your life.
Uncomfortable Discovery
Once you are clear on what you want to accomplish and now have a plan to achieve this goal. Follow through and execution is going to be key. A great plan on paper without any execution or follow through are just notes on a page. The only way you will know if your plan is great is by going out and doing the work.
Doing the work is sometimes the most uncomfortable but necessary step in the process of getting better.
Doing the work, is part of the discovery process. It forces you out to your comfortable limits and beyond.
Keep in mind, when you started you identified a goal that was important to you and the goal requires you to be better. Think of it this way, if you are horrible with money but you want to start saving, you have to remember the path you aspire to go down, is one you may have not been down before or in a long time.
But the real reward comes in the discovery of whatever you're chasing. You know, when we go out into those uncharted territories where we're shamed for not knowing everything about it or think that there's some bigger motive for us to pursue. We find out there's no big bad wolf hidden around every corner and instead, just a few new skills waiting to be learned.
The Formula
Coach Flint, in that hot gym in the fall of the late 90s taught me a lesson I have kept close to me ever since, "be uncomfortable while trying to get better." Its a mindset to allow for your mistakes to have redemption and not be an indictment of your character or acumen.
So if I had to sum it up I would say it like this:
- Be intentional - know what you are working on and why
- Have a plan - this is your guide to creating the reality you desire
- Its ok - making mistakes along the journey is ok, because the journey is about discovery.
If you are looking for some help in how to implement the strategies talked about in this blog post, click the button below to book an initial consultation.
