“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” – Harry S. Truman
Do you want to be the best in your field?
People are inherently good, which in turn makes them dishonest because everyone walks on eggshells today for fear they might offend someone. The hypersensitivity of my generation (Y) has made it even worse. Criticism is seen as a four-letter word; but if you want to be the best at what you do, then you better learn to ask for criticism, accept it and then fix it.
Real Coaching
I remember during my prime athletic days when everyone would tell me what a great job I had done, regardless of my performance quality; and I’d always take it with a huge grain of salt. I learned quickly not to read the papers (blogs weren’t relevant yet) because they can only see 2 sides to any issue. Plus, they only offer problems and never solutions. Until college, the only person that I always felt gave me a real assessment of my performance was my dad. The great thing about it is that he never offered it to me. If I asked (which I always did), then he told me what he thought.
When I was first invited to be an author on Brazen Careerist, I was fortunate enough to get some 1-on-1 coaching with Penelope Trunk. She told me straight up that the only people that care what you write about are your family and the person you’re currently sleeping with. She was right because now I have people that write to me from all over the country.
While at LSU, I was fortunate enough to spend time playing under Nick Saban. Saban’s reputation is not a sparkling one, but I hold immense respect for him because I learned a great deal about my mental toughness. I was a back-up kicker on a field of 21 future NFL draft picks, and he tore into me with the same fervor that he did all the others. At the end of the day, he made me better.
Driven
Most reading this blog are hungry people, but sometimes you need to get out of your own head and gain some perspective. Everyone sees a performance in their own way, so an outsider’s view should always be welcomed. Good coaches and critics are hard to find, but if you want to rise above the rest in life, then you need to find a few. They’ll be honest with you.
Photo: tdub303 via flickr
Tags: Career, Gen Y, Leadership
