Who Are Your Coaches?

I once had a chat with one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League. I asked him how important having a good coach was. His answer was perfect. "My coaches were like the wheels of my cars. They kept me moving, seeing, and connected with the ground." Ask any top athlete and they will tell you the value of coaching. They can make or break a player. None of them would ever think of playing without a coach.

So the question becomes, "Who are or have been your coaches, mentors, or guides?" When a mental health evaluation is being done, the person is often asked, "Who are the people that have guided you though life?" It is sad to hear responses where people come up empty or struggle hard to find answers. Then there are the sad responses when people choose persons who are negative or hard hearted.

I once asked a 22 year old who his heroes were. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "No one." I then asked him if he believed in God. His answer was still negative and he answered with great sadness. I saw him five years later and one of the first things he said to me was that he had found God and at the same time discovered that he had had many heroes in his life, but he never recognized them until he had found God.

Here is a chance to do something just for you. Make a list of all the people who have been your coaches, (we are not just talking sports here) effective teachers, guides, mentors or heroes. Try to find at least twenty. Now rank them in the order of importance. After you have done that, write down under each one, what you learned from each of them. Now if you really want to do something special, write letters to the top three or four and share with them how much they have meant to you. If they are no longer alive or you don't have an address, write to them anyway. Save the letters in a special place for one of your rainy days.