Why Don't They Listen? I Have Such Great Things to Say!

We coaches are trying to impart information to athletes. I have read 100s of books that I believe have given me valuable information that can make me a better coach. I have a master’s degree in exercise physiology and am working on a PhD. I search the internet for new ideas. I love learning.

I love helping athletes by sharing this information.

So why don’t they always understand and absorb my information?

This is a quote from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1Corinthinians Chapter 13, the Bible):

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

-       New American Standard Version (1995)

My translation: I have all these beautiful and wonderful things to say, but if I cannot say them with love in my heart, I will not be heard, I will sound like the teacher in the Charlie Brown (Peanuts) cartoons. Waaa waaa waaa      

If you haven’t seen the Peanuts cartoons, check this out.

What does love have to do with coaching and education?

Depending on the translation of Paul’s letter, charity is sometimes substituted for love.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Corinthians_13

Chapter 13 … covers the subject of love… In the original Greek, The word AGAPE is used throughout… This is translated into English as charity in the King James version, but the word love is preferred by most other translations…

…

So, according to the author, AGAPE:

                is long suffering (i.e. tolerant, patient)

                is kind

                is free of jealousy, envy and pride

                does not display unseemly behavior

                is unselfish

                is not touchy, fretful or resentful

                takes no account of the evil done to it [outwardly ignores a suffered wrong]

                hates evil

                is associated with honesty

                protects

                trusts

                hopes

                perseveres

                triumphs

                is greater than either faith or hope

I believe that these are great coaching characteristics. And the words superior, arrogant, and vain are not on the list.

It is a daily challenge to remember these things and LOVE my athletes.

I have much work to do in this area, but recognizing a weakness is the first step in overcoming it!