There are not many things as beautiful, as breathtaking, as artistically superior as the saber worn by the United States Marine Corps men as he wears his dressed blues. Would you be interested to know how that saber came to be? That saber is a beautiful work of art, isn't it? Well let me tell you how they developed that saber.
First, they take a great big hunk of metal and they put a really rough saw to it and carve out a length of raw metal that's really, really unattractive in its first look. They then take that hunk of metal and they put it in a furnace that's so hot it will amaze you. And they burn it, and they cook it, and they heat it until it's red hot. And then, after it's red hot, they take it out of the furnace and quickly dump it in to some ice cold water. After you do that, they take a sledgehammer and they beat on that metal. Bamn! Bamn! Bamn! Bamn! And they do that for a period of time and then, what do they do afterwards? They stick it back in that furnace and heat it up again until it is red hot like nobody's business.
And then following that, they take it out of the red hot furnace and throw it in some more cold water. Schhhhhh, you can see the steam coming off of it....cold water ... And then, they take that sledgehammer and they beat on it again, and again, and again. They do this over and over and over until that metal is malleable enough so that they can put a sharp edge on it. After they put a sharp edge on it ... Well, I don't know what happens after that. I imagine they put a handle on it in some way, shape, form or fashion but, they finish the job. Suffice it to say that, as you look at that saber in its finished form, it never would occur to you what it went through to get where it is.
Now what about you and what about me? What about your coaching class? What about you as a coach? As you initially begin to coach a client ... As you initially begin to grow as a coach, you may not immediately give your clients the results that they want. But you must, in your tendency to give your unbiased opinion ... Your unbiased, objective opinion ... You must bring it to them. Bring it to their memory that Hey, they might not be there yet, but you can see where they're going. You can see the saber that they're going to be. As a coach, you may not be getting the results that you want with your clients, but rest assured that you will get those results.
I am reminded of this because, just recently, I took a trip to San Diego. I got on an airplane with my wife, flew down to San Diego, celebrated her birthday with her, and had an incredible time. But this by no means was my first attempt at getting on a plane to San Diego. In the year 2001, just before 9/11, my wife and I were at Sacramento Airport. And I'm about to get on the plane to go to San Diego and would you believe it, I was not able to get on the plane. Why? Because of fear. I had an imaginary fear that stopped me from walking down that jetway to get on that airplane and sit down and ride the short 90 minute flight to San Diego. Now back then, I was much like the hunk of metal that became the saber that I am now. But I can assure you I could not see 16 years later ... Rather 15 years later ... Where I would be able to just simply get on an airplane and do my thing like any other normal person.
I must admit, the trip here has been wonderful. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. My wife has thoroughly enjoyed herself. All because I did not give up on the possibility. Now mind you, between then and now I had lots of setbacks. I had lots of experiences where I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do because of fear. I had lots of experiences ... When I got on an elevator and when it took too long for the door to open, I was struck with anxiety. I used to have what they call the "white knuckle syndrome." And even when I went home to my mother's funeral several years ago, it was a horrible, horrible experience. But that part of my life is over now, and I can use that part of my life to share with you what can happen if you persist.
So, if you want to be an extraordinary coach ... If you want to be a more extraordinary coach, you have got to constantly remind yourself that you are like that saber. That beautiful work of art that is along the side of that United States Marine that you see in this picture
You have to remind yourself that you will get to where you want to go, and remind yourself that you are bringing an unbiased, objective opinion, and accountability partnership, and results that your client has never gotten before.
So as I like to end all of my blogs, I would like to end this blog with belaboring a point. And the point, of course, being you never know what you can be without your coach. So, if you don't have a coach, get you a coach. And finally, I like to end all my blogs the same way but this particular blog I'm going to institute a new habit because I'm continually growing ... And that is to tell you, if this blog has helped you please be sure and share it with a friend, share it with a fellow coach. And until that time comes, I want to encourage you to have yourself a good time until next time.
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