It Starts At The Top

Today’s swim practice did not go the way I wanted it to.

The girls were off, and the energy was off.

I was super frustrated, and I launched into lecture mode.

I know better than anyone that lecture mode rarely accomplishes anything.

Anything positive, anyway.

I came to swim practice today with bad energy.

And then I continued to project bad energy.

For the rest of practice I rationalized my reaction and the way I addressed today’s issues, but inside I knew I didn’t do a great job.

I was off, too.

Nobody was having much fun. 

My little lecture didn’t change that. 

It probably made things worse.

I could have approached things from so many different angles, and the one I picked was the wrong one. 

If you aren’t getting the results you want from your team, the first place to look is inward.

I failed to do that today.

If I want my swimmers to own their behavior, their actions, and their attitudes, then I better own mine, first.

If I want my girls to have a good mindset, I better have one first. 

Because in all things – whether it’s swim practice or school or parenting – it starts at the top.