The Athletes Who Want to Get Better

Most athletes say they want to get better. They want to shoot better, get stronger, make the team, earn more playing time, and win. But if you really want to improve, there is something else you have to learn to want:

You have to want to be coached. Being coached means being willing to hear things you may not want to hear. Maybe your coach tells you that you're not getting back on defense, you're taking bad shots, you're not communicating enough, or your effort needs to improve.

What's your first reaction?

It's easy to defend yourself.

"But I was tired."
"They weren't calling fouls on them."
"I wasn't the only one who made that mistake."

It's natural to explain, blame, or take correction personally. But when we immediately defend ourselves, we can miss one of the greatest opportunities we have to grow.

Instead, try this:

Listen. Consider it. Ask yourself, "Could this be true?"

You don't have to agree with every correction immediately. But be willing to consider it and ask, "What can I do with this?"

Invite the Feedback

Don't just wait for your coach to correct you. Ask for feedback.

"Coach, what's one thing I need to improve?"

"What do you see in my game that I might not see?"

Those questions can be uncomfortable because you might hear something you don't want to hear, but that's exactly why they are valuable. You can't improve something you don't know needs improvement. Remember, your coach isn't correcting you because they want to make you feel bad. They're correcting you because they see something in you that can get better.

A coach doesn't correct you because you're hopeless. They correct you because they believe you can improve.

It's Bigger Than Sports

Being coachable is a life skill.

The same willingness to receive honest feedback will help you become a better student, teammate, employee, friend, spouse, and leader. Throughout your life, there will be people who see things in you that you can't see in yourself. You won't always agree with their feedback. Sometimes they may even get it wrong.

Develop the habit of asking:

"What can I learn from this?"

The best athletes don't just want to hear how good they are. They want to know how they can get better. The next time your coach corrects you, don't immediately make an excuse. Don't take it personally.

Listen, consider it, learn from it, then go to work. Be coachable, not because you're not good enough, but because you want to become your best.