A Coach's Diary

"I’m fascinated with coaches that can perform in the storm without losing the big picture. It seems like the only way that happens is to have a game plan.” - Chris Petersen When the storms hit and the boat starts rocking, how do you stay on the boat? Storms are a key part of everyone’s life. They test your strengths and commitment, and they expose your weaknesses and gaps. When the storms hit and the boat starts rocking, you will see four types of people: People throwing themselves off. People throwing other people off. People settling down and waiting for the storm to pass. People saving people from being thrown off and helping bring people back in. Former college football coach Chris Petersen once said, “I’m fascinated with coaches that can perform in the storm without losing the big picture. It seems like the only way that happens is to have a game plan.” Having emotional stability is the foundation for that game plan. Emotional stability is the ability to maintain a balanced a...

Steve Magness, a performance coach who was once the fastest distance runner in the country, says that athletes, coaches, and parents think that the way to develop discipline and toughness is to take what they think is the Navy SEALS approach, which is, 'Put people in some really difficult situations and then they'll get really tough,' but that's not really what the Navy SEALS do. Before they go out and do all the crazy stuff like survival training, Navy SEALS recruits sit in a classroom and have lecture after lecture and Powerpoint after Powerpoint learning how to mentally and physically handle every situation they will face. They even have to study a 600-page book that teaches mental toughness skills. After they are taught the skills that they need to survive, they then practice those skills by being put in a place that simulates what they will feel like and experience so they can try those skills out to see if they are able to access those skills under pressure and du...

In 2015, Robin Roberts asked Kobe in an interview, “What have you learned about yourself through these 20 years of being in the NBA?” Kobe said, “I’ve learned to always keep going. Always. No matter what happens, the storm eventually ends, and when the storm does end, you want to make sure that you are ready. Our one foot in front of the other because eventually, that storm passes.” We all face storms. Storms are a part of life. But if you want to do the things that you want to do and achieve the goals that you want to achieve, you have to be willing to fight through the storms. Have a goal. Have a plan. Then execute the plan. Stick to the script while learning and making the adjustments that you think will help. But don’t quit. Don’t stop. Keep going, because the storms will pass, and when they do, you want to be ready.