A Coach's Diary

  The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the idea of It’s Only 1 Point by tennis great Roger Federer. In his 2024 commencement address at Dartmouth University, Federer said he won 80% of his matches but only won 54% of his points. This means the best tennis players in the world barely win more than half of their points, so they have to learn how to deal with an undesired result or failure almost half of the time. Federer said, “When you lose every second point on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot.” You learn every shot — good and bad — is only one shot and one point. Federer said, “When you are playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you.” He said this mindset is important because it frees you to fully commit to the next point — the most important point — with intensity, clarity, and focus. Federer then said, “The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose — a ...

Source: Impact Players: Dare to Lead Podcast The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the concept of Impact Players from leadership coach Liz Wiseman. In an interview with Brene Brown, Liz Wiseman says Impact Players aren’t just talented, individual contributors — they make the team and the people around them better. Impact Players are superstar performers who everyone wants on the team. They do great work, they do the hard stuff, and they do so with an energy that people want to be around. Here are 5 things you can do to be an Impact Player: 1 - Get Ready and Stay Ready Don’t wait for someone to tell you everything because that takes time. Make yourself useful and valuable by doing things without being asked, and anticipate problems and have plans. 2 - Be a Great Teammate Be easy to work with, low maintenance, no drama, while helping your teammates. Don’t make hard work harder. Look for ways to make work easier for everyone. Bring value and good energy. 3 - Do Extra — Go Ab...

“We can have different personalities, but we can’t have different mentalities.” - Mike Vrabel Does everyone on your team have to have the same personality? Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the New England Patriots who he now coaches. In an interview, he was asked what is one of the best pieces of advice he’s received about building culture. Vrabel said, “You can have different personalities, but you can’t have different mentalities.” Everyone is different. We all bring something different to the team. But the mindset and goals have to be similar. The values and principles have to be the same. The vision and direction has to be the same, but how we act, our personalities, and our general beliefs might differ. The key in leadership is making sure everyone knows where we are going, how, and the mindset and mentality needed to get there. Question of the Day: How can you bring your own personality to the team while fully committing to the shared mindset, standards, and...

“When people learn to evaluate and respond to their thoughts more realistically, they feel better and function more effectively.” - Judith S. Beck Do you have control over your thoughts, or do your thoughts control you? Judith S. Beck is a psychologist and leading expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a psychological approach that explains how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, and how changing unhelpful thinking patterns can lead to healthier emotions and more effective behavior. In her book, Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond , Beck wrote, “When people learn to evaluate and respond to their thoughts more realistically, they feel better and function more effectively.” What you think affects how you feel, and how you feel affects what you do. CBT teaches people to notice negative or inaccurate thoughts, evaluate them, and replace them with more realistic and productive ones — leading to better decisions, performance, and well-being. Learn how to ...

“Behavior is a function of expectancy and reinforcement value.” - Julian Rotter Do you work harder if you know you have a chance to win versus when you don’t think you have a chance? Julian Rotter was a psychologist best known for developing Locus of Control theory . Locus of control theory explains whether a person believes outcomes are mainly the result of their own actions ( internal locus of control ) or due to outside forces like luck, fate, or other people ( external locus of control ). Rotter once said, “Behavior is a function of expectancy and reinforcement value.” We are more likely to work harder when we think we can get better at something we care about. An athlete will work harder in practice if they believe (expectancy) that their effort will lead to improvement or playing time, and if they really care (reinforcement value) about getting better or helping the team win. So set meaningful, reachable goals for yourself and others.. Question of the Day: What is one goal you c...

“The brain has the ability to change itself in response to experience.” - Norman Doidge Did you know we aren’t stuck with the brains we are born with? Norman Doidge is a psychiatrist and researcher best known for popularizing the idea of neuroplasticity — that the brain can change, adapt, and rewire itself through experience, effort, and learning. His work shows that growth, recovery, and improvement are possible at any age, challenging the belief that ability is fixed. He once wrote, “The brain has the ability to change itself in response to experience.” Our brain is not fixed or hard-wired. Instead, it physically adapts based on what we repeatedly think, practice, and do . Experiences — like learning a new skill, practicing a sport, managing stress, or recovering from injury — strengthen certain neural pathways while others weaken. Repetition and attention signal the brain to rewire itself, making those skills, thoughts, or habits easier over time. This is why every rep matters — eve...