Self-improvement…Learn from the best!
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In all areas of life, we should try to challenge ourselves and continually look for areas of self-development. Surely, we strive to be our “best version of ourselves”?
One huge benefit is that as we learn new skills or develop our existing skills, our confidence grows in all areas…almost a win-win!
While there are a variety of ways to self-develop, for example practice, reading, attending training courses, etc., one of the best ways is to learn from the best available people in the area of expertise.
Outside of the Solution Focused business, I coach in another area…endurance running. My coaching is across a couple of Clubs as lead coach, but also collaborating with England Athletics in a number of ways.
The greatest distance runners in the world tend to be Kenyan, and virtually all live high up in the rift valleys in a small town called Iten. They live a humble life and are dedicated in their pursuit of excellence.
At Solution Focused much of our work is around equipping all of our clients and individuals with the tools and techniques for personal self-development…much being down to our personal belief systems. With this in mind I wrote a series of features for UK athletics on this very topic but linked to the competitive side of running.
By chance these were picked up by a group of elite Kenyan athletes! We started an online dialogue, and I was invited to fly to their training camp and deliver two talks on “Peak Performance…but at the same time to live with them for a week. With the restrictions now lifting, I fly to Kenya Sunday 3rd October.
“One of the best ways is to learn from the best available people in the particular area of expertise.” In my own pursuit of excellence as an athletics endurance coach, this becomes my way of learning from the best…what drives them, what is the coaching structure, how are they coached, how do they train, what is their diet and lifestyle…and of course…where does their belief come from?
The key for me then becomes how do I evaluate all of my learning for two reasons…for my own personal development and also to continue to improve the athletes that I coach.
Always ask yourself…how can I self-improve, and how can I then make a bigger contribution to others? Of course, you can always speak to the team at Solution-Focused!
“If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of.”
Kazuo Ishiguro