A Key to Growth

I have been teaching Jiu Jitsu classes for about two years now.  Teaching and coaching has great benefits, it improves skill, requires self improvement, and rewards in ways that personal achievements could never do.  Teaching others will increase an instructor's confidence in his training and his knowledge.  An instructor is his students number one place to go for information, and in their eyes he has all their answers. Often times because of the difference in experience and skill an instructor can seem like the BIG FISH in the water.  However, on days like today, I am reminded on just how little of a fish I really am and how immature my knowledge of the art really is.   Learning from the more experienced, the more knowledgable, the more skilled is a necessary uncomfort that is needed for growth.  This is needed to show us that there are many things yet to be accomplished and many lessons yet to be learned.

This type of learning is necessary to all of us in all areas of life.  Even if you are the number one salesman in your company, you could learn from the number one in your city. If you are the number one in your city you should seek out the number one in the state or region.  If you are the number one in the region seek out the number  one in the country.   I had a football coach tell me once that, "you shouldn't worry about being the best cornerback on the team.  Your goal should be to be the best cornerback in the conference. And your worry should be, how are you going to accomplish that?"

The great thing about athletics is the events and seasons can be small parodies of life.  Every four years there is an Olympic champion in many different sports.  These champions can call themselves the best in their sport.  However, every Olympic Champion still has a coach, or someone that can correct them, drive them, and humble them.  There is always someone that can teach you more than you know.

So if you're like me and occasionally find yourself with the false confidence that you really have knowledge about the subject.  I invite you to step out of your comfort zone and find someone to show you  exactly how little you know, and how small of a fish you are.

A little humility can go a long way...