Who's Your Coach?
Ever play on a team without a coach? I have. You know, a church-league basketball team. Softball league. Flag football. It's not exactly the same as the sports experiences you remember from your earlier years. Back in High School, everyone knew exactly who was in charge. Everyone knew who was calling the shots, determining the strategy and calling the plays on gameday. But, even before that, every day you knew who was in charge of practice. And you knew what his purpose was. Sure, to win games, but also, to make you the best player you could be. After all, that's what makes it possible for him to win games.
My playing days are over, but recently I got myself a coach anyway. Not to help me with my jumpshot or put a few more MPHs on my fastball, but to help me be a better pastor. For the past six months, I've been part of a coaching network, along with some other pastors from accross the U.S. and a few other countries. We have a coach whose sole purpose is to make us better at what we do. He talks a lot, assigns us MP3s to listen to, makes us take notes and send him copies, makes us read books and write about them, and so on and so on. Lot's of extra work. But, I think it's working. I think I'm better. A better leader. A better pastor. A better visionary. After all, that's what he's supposed to do, make me better.
This week I'm flying to Tampa to meet with my coach in person. I'm pretty excited about it. First time to meet in person. Halfway mark of this coaching network commitment. Trip to Florida in February isn't so bad either.
Like any good basketball team (or any other team, but, hey it's basketball season) you need a good coach to be a good player on a good team. Whether you want to be a good ball player or a good math student or a good pastor, you need a good coach to help you get there. In the same way, if you want to be a godly man, a great wife, an awesome grandfather or just a great christian friend, you need a coach to help you get there.
So, who's coaching you? Who's helping you become the best whatever you want to be? You don't want to be playing out your life in the church-leagues. Oh, that's fine for the Friday Night Softball League, but not for your life. For that, you want to play in the Big League. For that, you'll need some coaching. So, do what I did, go out and find one. Just find someone who's got some experience and success at what you want to do well and ask. Take them to lunch. Have coffee. Spend a little time together. Ask questions and listen. Get coached. Everybody needs one.
My playing days are over, but recently I got myself a coach anyway. Not to help me with my jumpshot or put a few more MPHs on my fastball, but to help me be a better pastor. For the past six months, I've been part of a coaching network, along with some other pastors from accross the U.S. and a few other countries. We have a coach whose sole purpose is to make us better at what we do. He talks a lot, assigns us MP3s to listen to, makes us take notes and send him copies, makes us read books and write about them, and so on and so on. Lot's of extra work. But, I think it's working. I think I'm better. A better leader. A better pastor. A better visionary. After all, that's what he's supposed to do, make me better.
This week I'm flying to Tampa to meet with my coach in person. I'm pretty excited about it. First time to meet in person. Halfway mark of this coaching network commitment. Trip to Florida in February isn't so bad either.
Like any good basketball team (or any other team, but, hey it's basketball season) you need a good coach to be a good player on a good team. Whether you want to be a good ball player or a good math student or a good pastor, you need a good coach to help you get there. In the same way, if you want to be a godly man, a great wife, an awesome grandfather or just a great christian friend, you need a coach to help you get there.
So, who's coaching you? Who's helping you become the best whatever you want to be? You don't want to be playing out your life in the church-leagues. Oh, that's fine for the Friday Night Softball League, but not for your life. For that, you want to play in the Big League. For that, you'll need some coaching. So, do what I did, go out and find one. Just find someone who's got some experience and success at what you want to do well and ask. Take them to lunch. Have coffee. Spend a little time together. Ask questions and listen. Get coached. Everybody needs one.
Two thumbs up!
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ReplyDeleteGreat topic. Frankly, I think the term 'coach' is way undervalued. The real coaches in life are exactly as you described...ones who lead you to be better...not just at your sport or profession; but also as better people. I remember my Little League coaches. They were great baseball coaches - legends when it came to winning year after year -- the kind of guys who, as they say, "could beat hiss'n with your'n or your'n with hiss'n". But, one of many other things I remember about them was this exact quote (and we heard it every year):
ReplyDelete"remember boys, you have to put baseball in line with many other things you do. You have to know what come first in life - it's your Church (God), your family, your school and then baseball"
We all need coaches....especially ones that teach you about life.
I agree. I feel very blessed because in my life I have a great Pastor who I think of as my Coach. He has inspired me to be a better person, to look at life through a different perspective, he encourages and supports me in ways he is not even aware of. Thank you. In case you were wondering my coach is you : )
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