While meal prepping today I noticed I miss the small things I used to do.  Listen to an audible or podcast while making breakfast, making my own coffee instead of constantly going to grab some, food prepping, blogging, or simply sitting down before sunrise and reading a book.  I miss lifting and jiu jitsu as play rather than it being a chore or another task item.

But that's the beauty of personal seasons.  You're going to have your dips.  Your winters where there is calm and stillness.  Spring where everything blooms all at once because we live in Wisconsin and we can't just slowly slip into summer.  Things blooming all at once is how I view getting 7 new members or clients in a three day span.  Like, "WHOA!  Hold on!"  
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Summer where you have to motivate yourself because the day is so beautiful and "why do I have to work today, lift today, stay on task today, I don't want to, this is stupid, fine I'll do it anyways but I don't wanna and I'll be sure you know it."  Come on, you've never felt that on a 100 degree day with 90% humidity because even Wisconsin wants to be Florida-Man sometimes?

This blog post will be prefaced by me saying:

1. I have never been to war.
2. I have no military background.
3. I do not take issue with those who do have a military background, or are currently serving.
4. I'm getting better at understanding foreign affairs, conflict, and culture, but I am by no means an expert.

NPR did an interview with Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif of Iran about our relationship with his country.  He said something very interesting to me.

"Those who begin a war can not end it."  Meaning history has a trend of countries who begin wars are typically not the same country to end that war.  Which makes sense, unless we were under the impression that we "won".  But, if we're not conquering (and I still believe we are but that's another topic for another day after I understand this concept more thoroughly than I do currently) then how did we win?  How did they win?  What does winning a war look like?

I'd love to know your thoughts on this.  Please keep in mind any derogatory language, slurs, or personal feelings about the country in the interview will be removed and banned immediately.  I have no time for that nonesense.

Keep it civil.  Let me know what you think.

If I were to be completely honest, I put a lot of stock into my masters degree.  The book reading clinical part of my degree.  At the end of the day, that is what I am trained to do.  I am designed to be a clinical exercise physiologist, and I'm not upset about that.  I am still proud of the work it took to earn that degree.  However, I wish someone would have told me that it wasn't mandatory.  Or, you know, maybe they did tell me but I had it so ingrained in my know-it-all 20 year old brain that more degrees meant more prestige.  When I completed my graduate program it was 2008.  In hindsight, that degree probably saved me for those two rough years.  Everyone else I knew couldn't get a job or was laid off. I was climbing the ladder.  Not because of what my degree taught me, but because of that piece of paper itself.  Then it bit me in the ass.  I stepped out of that career and all of a sudden I was hunting for entry level jobs and no one wanted to hire me because of that piece of paper.  They didn't want to pay me what they thought I was worth.  Was I flattered? Sure.  Frustrated?  Absolutely.  So I started leaving it off of my resume.  Weird how that works.  

So what did my degree teach me about coaching?  Nothing.  I mean, minus my extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, otherwise nothing.  Then if you include the years of "if you don't use it you lose it" kicked in.  Being a receptionist doesn't translate well into the coaching world, BUT I did get very good at data entry.  I can use a number pad like nobody's business.

What does all of this mean?  I am becoming a good coach, and I want to become a great coach, and to do that I must dive in.  It means more years of practical application.  More years of trying things, failing, succeeding, and zoning in on my niche.  Actually, I'm pretty sure I've found my niche and now I'm in that fine tuning stage.  It almost feels like my business runs parallel with my jiu jitsu career.  I'm at that purple belt stage of I know my game, I know my style, and now it's time to apply, apply, apply.This is the fun part.  The part where all the light bulbs are going off, and the simplest things become gospel.  On that note, here are a few things I have learned about coaching:

• You are nothing without your people.  I don't care how much you know, if I don't want to work with you why would I care?  My clients and members are so important to me.  Their successes and failures are also mine.
• The values and morals you keep outside the gym should be the same inside the gym.  Your culture and how you nurture it are vital.
• Coaching is an art and a practice and you're never done.  I recently listened to a podcast where America is one of the only countries where if you lift weights then you are assumed to be a coach.  Some of the BEST coaches right now are not at the top of their game as an athlete, but they are at the top of their game (or developing their game) as a coach.  It's give and take.
• Don't become a coach if you don't understand emotions, stress, etc, and how they all tie in to a client's or student's training.
• Do not hesitate to fire a client if they mess with your gym's culture.  
• Be open to pivoting and evolving your business.  What may have been good for your environment the first few years just won't cut it now, and help your client's get on board.  
• Clients are free to come and go. You don't own them. You NEVER own them.  
• Vice versa.  Clients don't own you.  Money can always be returned. Your time cannot.
• Seek out those better than you and learn as much as you can. For the past two years I have scheduled more seminars and conferences to further my education than I have tournaments or meets to compete in.  
• When it comes to lifting foundations (and dare I say jiu jitsu foundations) there is nothing new.  No wheel to be reinvented.  How you transfer that knowledge is what makes you a successful coach.

Finally, coaches have coaches.  Some of THE BEST advice I have gotten has been from a few select people, and that is because they are in the trenches as well.  I hope you all have a great day. <3