Jeff Spencer

Archives for November 2018

Finding the Flow

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Finding the Flow

I recently faced an intriguing dilemma. It was the kind of dilemma I love, because it sat right in my wheelhouse: I had to find that one special something that would give a client the edge he needed to reach the top step of the podium. Not just any podium – he was targeting a National Championship. The biggest event in his life to date. If he won, it would change the course of his life.

He had a great shot at winning, but there was a catch: so did three other guys.
All four athletes had the goods to take gold. All four were blessed with similar levels of ability and talent. All four had a champion’s work ethic. Without that, they wouldn’t have been contenders in the first place.

In this situation, most coaches tell athletes to do what’s obvious. Train harder, drill down on the details, ratchet up the level of commitment, and find that small gain that gives them the competitive edge they need to win.

That was my dilemma.

I knew that’s exactly what they were going to do. I also knew that more training, a more intense attitude, and obsession over details was a recipe for overtraining, burnout, and poor performance. I also knew one more thing: my athlete was at his limit. This kid had already turned himself inside-out physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

The risk of overtraining was clear and present.

My athlete needed something different.

A Creative Solution (Literally)

I remembered something he’d told me early on in our coach-athlete relationship: he’d played the violin pretty seriously up until he was ten years old. He loved it, he was good at it. But he hadn’t played in about ten years. Athletics had taken over his life. I remember the little spark I saw in his eyes when he talked about the violin. For a split second, I saw a carefree and relaxed kid – not a serious and committed athlete.

That, I thought, is what this kid needs.

So instead of adding more intervals, new training techniques, or another wrinkle on visualizing success – I told him to dust off that violin and play a little every day. I told him it would open up that old, creative part of his personality. It would give him that extra bit of natural flow he needed to take gold, with absolutely no risk of overtraining.

He was a little skeptical. But he trusted me, so he did it.

And guess what?

He won.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

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The 21st century has radically changed the way we live, work, and navigate the path from youth to retirement. More and more often, grown adults find themselves switching professions mid-career. Sometimes this happens out of necessity, and others it happens because people wake up one day, look around, scratch their head, and ask themselves – like the character in the Talking Heads song –

“Well, how did I get here?”

Sometimes the answer is unsatisfying. Sometimes people have no idea how they got there. Things just happened. One life decision led to another, and there they are. The day they ask themselves that question is the day they realize they’re not where they want to be.

Make Big Changes Carefully

Whether you change careers or life circumstances by choice or by necessity, it’s important to do it the right way. I’ve met many people who do it the wrong way – and by that, I mean they do it too quickly. They take a rip-off-the-bandaid approach because they think a clean, sharp break is best, or because they’re seeking instant relief from their immediate circumstances.

That’s not wise.

That approach is almost always based in fear and made on impulse – and one thing adults know is that fear-based, impulsive decisions almost always backfire. Things change for the worse, self-confidence plummets, and then there they are again, wanting desperately to make another change.

Don’t be that person.

If you want to change the default circumstances of your life, do so deliberately. Be careful and smart. Keep your job so you can support your transition. You need that stability. Stability enables you to stay composed, creative, patient, and precise. Keeping your job is not a compromise and it’s not selling yourself short. Nor is it an indication you lack faith in yourself or the opportunities the universe presents: it’s simply prudent.

The Payoff

When the big pros make changes, they don’t chuck everything out the window for fear of missing the moment or losing their place in line. They make a solid plan and create ideal circumstances for a smooth and easy transition to the next chapter. They take it step-by-step. They maintain their confidence, composure, and mature champion’s mindset. They don’t cave to impulse, and neither should you. Be like them: when you want to transform your life, don’t throw it into disarray. Make a practical plan, stay the course, and your changes will stick for good.