As young coaches, we aspire to make an impact. We want our work to be significant.
Filled with zeal, we’re concerned with becoming the best. At first, it’s a noble pursuit. We want to become better than we were yesterday.
Then, something shifts.
We become concerned about others. Our kaizen approach to coaching disappears and we begin playing finite games.
We try to become #1. We play the game perpetuated by our hyper-driven culture and become okay with taking others down on our way to the top.
We crave external, superficial significance. Each promotion is another win for us.
We forget that in all finite games, our win is someone else’s loss.
Traditionally, baseball coaches have seen significance as wins, draft picks, and promotions. In today’s age, significance now includes social media followers and viral tweets.
All of this stuff is noise. A viral tweet has a resemblance of significance, but it’s as filling as Skittles after a deadlift workout. The sugar-high of social media significance makes us crave more, but more never provides the fulfillment that we are after.
But what if I told you that those things aren’t what makes a coach significant?
At its core, coaching is about helping other people.
You get to empower others to become better at what they do. As a result, you are rewarded with a deep sense of satisfaction.
You know that what you’re doing matters.
You’re playing an infinite game in a world full of finite players.
The way to satisfaction isn’t getting to the top of your field. There will always be another hill to climb.
It’s about maintaining an inner scorecard. It’s about playing the game you’ve decided to play.
True impact comes through becoming a signal in a world full of noise. It’s about making complex things simple. It’s about helping men upgrade themselves on a daily basis.
It’s easy to contribute to the noise.
But becoming a coach of significance is reserved for the few who will choose to go deep, invest in relationships, and make an impact on the lives of others.
Which will you choose?