"Focus on Improvement"

I don’t know exactly how this happened, but I ended up coaching my daughter’s middle-school volleyball team. Well, I’m actually co-coaching the team along with Myriah Storrer, a talented and energetic young lady who played high school and junior-college volleyball and knows her stuff.

On the eve of our first practice, I was trying to think of wise words for a group of fifth and sixth-grade girls who comprise the Good Shepherd Grizzlies junior varsity team. At this age, the focus is having fun. But next year the older girls move to the varsity level where things become more competitive and the better players play more, lesser skilled players play less. It becomes more a microcosm of life.

It struck me quickly that, perhaps, an effective message would be the Comeback Coach’s challenge to those experiencing a “Run to Daylight” workshop. Toward the end of the presentation participants are encouraged to realize “there’s nothing noble in being superior to somebody else, true nobility lies in becoming superior to our former selves.”

In other words, don’t worry whether or not you’re “better” than somebody else. Focus on improving your own skills. That’s a good message for each of us because it’s true whether we’re talking about improving our volleyball skills; our relationship skills; our workplace skills; our fitness skills – whatever, right?

The key is stay focused on improvement. Where could that apply to you, right now? Where could you begin the process of self improvement in ways that honor you, nurture those dependent upon you and add value to the communities you serve?

Ironically, this rookie coach learned in the season’s first game the importance of becoming “superior to his former self.” The Grizzlies had split two games against a good opponent and were huddled in preparation for the decisive third game. I goofed and mentioned the word “winning” in a brief pep talk to the team. I changed the focus from becoming “superior to our former selves” to “winning” and, reflecting, I think that threw them off a bit in the hard-fought third game we lost 25-23.

This week, take the time to reflect on areas of your life where you can become “superior to your former self.” Regardless of the area the self-improvement might reside, don’t worry about “winning” the contest. Instead focus on what you can control – becoming superior to your former self. In doing so, the outcome will always be good whether you win or not.