The best coaches tend to work quietly and peak late.
While people in most professions peak before 50, those who teach often become better as they age. This makes it important for coaches to focus on slowly building a large foundation.
We are not the fireworks on the 4th of July. Instead, we burn slowly. We work at an enjoyable, sustainable pace.
Like our players we get just a little bit better every day. We don't rush the process. We don't skip steps. We understand that taking care of ourselves is the first step towards being able to help others consistently and for a long time.
But this is not easy. Success and burnout are opposite sides of the same coin.
Success/fulfillment/whatever you want to call it can come from following one's passions. But those passions can lead to a stifling form of self identity. Being a coach who will "do anything for his players" or "leave no stone unturned" is certainly something to strive for. But constantly trying to live up to these self imposed statements is unsustainable.
Working out of obligation to an identity - some attempt to please an internal or external master - will inevitably lead to burnout.
As teachers this is exactly what we must avoid.
We need to find balance between following our passions and living full, well-rounded lives.
Don't let work get in the way of life, or you may come to resent the very thing that gives you joy.
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