5 Things my Coach has taught me...
A few weeks ago, a very bitter person wrote a scathing article in a national magazine about my Powerlifting Coach. After the article was published, I spent the day agonizing over how he must have felt, how hurt he must have been. I worried that he would quit coaching or that he would go "soft" on us. I worried that he would lose his drive or lack intensity in his training. I worried that he would cease to push me when I needed a push. My worries were all in vein. That brings me to the first lesson that Coach has taught me:
#1 - Don't let anyone else tell you who you are. Know your purpose and stick with it.
#2 - Patience is a virtue. It took me an entire year to add 10 pounds to my squat. Yes, one year, only 10 pounds. But I can view that in one of two ways: it is taking too long, therefore I quit OR in a measly 18 months, I will reach my ultimate goal of 200 lbs. I think I'll wait it out.
#3 - When working with people, make your voice heard. When I was going for a personal record the other day, I said to myself, "it's not going to happen" right in the middle of the lift. But my coach was behind me saying, "Finish it!" He wasn't speaking loud, just whispering it enough so that I heard it over my own negative thoughts. My thinking shifted from, " I can't do it" to "If he still thinks I can do it, I must be able to." And yes, all of this occurred in a 10 second successful lift.
#4 - Do it, even when you don't want to do it. This reminds me of a quote that I saw on Pinterest that says, "I regret that workout. - Said No One, Ever." There are days when I don't want to go to the gym. There are days when I consider texting my coach and bailing on him. I never do. But those days always seem to be the best days that I have in the gym. It's like he can sniff out my bad attitude and he gives me just the right workout to lift my spirits. I have carried this over into other parts of my life, making myself do things that I don't really want to do. I rarely regret it.
#5 - Get over yourself. Confidence is a good thing. Even a little cockiness can be beneficial now and then. But there will always be someone who can do it better than you. Be humble. Learn from those people and let them fuel you. Over-confidence can lead to failure, it can lead to injuries and it can get in the way of your own success.
I use these 5 life lessons every day, in almost every part of my life. Thanks Coach!
