Blog

Find Your People Without Looking Too Hard

Kris Herman

Look for the happy people.

Happy people are more productive and better to be around.  I don’t have the research at hand, but this is true in my experience.

Happy does not mean, giddy, laugh-at-every-little-thing people, to me it means people who are satisfied, who somehow communicate that they know that everything is not ok, and they are ok with that.

Happy means satisfied, in a good way.  Dissatisfied is the realm of a constant, “I wish things were different,” approach to the world.

One can work to be “better” and not be dissatisfied, for sure, but meanwhile I aim to be comfortable with the process.  It’s a happier way to be.

It’s complicated

Kris Herman

Does it need to be?

Does coaching need to feel out of reach of anyone? Should it feel like one needs to have years of training, and that many of us will never be ready?

Yes, coaches need to be trained. Trained in the skills of the game and in keeping players safe and teams as safe places to operate, but do we need to have all of the answers?

I’d argue that if we are good at asking questions we will get better at seeing the answers…for the time being, until we have better questions.

Raise your hand.

Presenting, The Present

Kris Herman

Everything happens before it happens.

Your perception of “the present” likely is actually around things that have already happened or are about to happen.

Is it possible to Live In The Moment? Sure, but the moment includes time that’s gone by and things to come.

Let’s not get caught up in whether we’re doing a good job of being in the present or not and enjoy whatever the experience is, with the people we’re with.

Teams only go around once.

Coaches’ Tools

Kris Herman

You probably suggest lots of great mental tools to your players. Most sport coaches understand the value of a strong mental game for their athletes.

Visualization and other forms of imagery, controlled and intentional breathing or being in the moment, understanding self-talk and other techniques are in most coach’s toolboxes for their players.

How about you? Do you teach these things? Do you use those same tools for yourself?

Are you leaving something on the table in your own preparation?

Why not use the same tools you ask players to use?

Acceptance Is Not The Same As Resignation

Kris Herman

Accepting yourself or others as they are is important for well-being…yours and theirs.

As the saying goes, “give me the serenity to accept things I cannot change”. This is step one. If it’s someone else’s “stuff”, you cannot directly change the current situation. If it’s your “stuff”, you still can’t change the now.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t not work to get better (double negative noted).

Working to be different in the future is not the opposite of acceptance.

What’s It Cost?

Kris Herman

New tires for your car might not be in your budget at first glance. But, is having a car that’s drivable of value to you? If you don’t have tires you don’t have a car, really.

Usually we ask about the price rather than the value. To us. At this time. That’s really the question.

If a thing or service is valuable to us at this time, we’ll find a way to cover the costs.

What do you need that will really add value in your world?

Adapt Continuously

Kris Herman

The idea of “not arriving”, that there is no such thing, provides me so much calmness.

We are so often chasing something, without realizing that it’s the chase that is the important part.

Churchill is quoted as saying, “To improve is to change, to perfect is to change often,”.

How often can you assess and tweak and change often?

Where to start?!

Running Alongside

Kris Herman

Even within a great team, each individual is running their own race.

She might also be a part of a relay, running the team’s race, but for sure she is running her own race.

Our starting lines vary, our pace ebbs and flows until we find a rhythm.

Encouraging each player to run well–to be healthy and efficient–while still being able to cheer the others on–that’s one way coaches can help move the entire entourage down the course.

Usually there are a lot of moving parts–which is better than parts that are frozen in time.

Find ways to cheer for the team and for every racer.

78 Meacham St Williamstown, MA 01267 413-663-0464 gt3coaching@gmail.com