Coaching, sea of ignorance, solid foundations and vision

sent by Nick Grantham | 9th November 2021

"I am, always have been and I always will be the presentation. That [Powerpoint] is my visual aid."

David JP Phillips

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I've watched this excellent presentation by David JP Phillips a couple of times, but today, this quote jumped out at me when I watched it. I use a wide range of technology to inform my decisions, disseminate information and drive athlete engagement. But I am, always have been, and I always will be the coach. So the technology I use is just my coaching aid. Stop hiding behind technology. Start coaching.

Source: How to avoid death By PowerPoint, TEDx StockholmSalon April 2014 by David JP Phillips


"We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance."

John Archibald Wheeler

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I thought that when I went to University, I would learn everything I needed to know about sport science. However, on my first day working as a sport scientist, I realised there was a considerable amount that I still needed to figure out. Twenty-four years into a high-performance sport career, I would have hoped to know everything I needed to know. The trouble is, I'm still scratching my head trying to make sense of it all! However, I've not lost the plot because I work every day based on the knowledge I've gained (the island) and continue exploring areas that  I know very little about (the shores).

Source: John Archibald Wheeler


"Buildings that lie so exposed to the weather need a good foundation."

William Penn

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If you want to stand in front of a squad of football players, you better plan a decent session. If you're going to present a keynote lecture at a conference, you better prepare a fantastic presentation. If you get called to interview for a dream job, make sure you do your background research. If you want to convince an athlete that your training programme will work, make sure you prepare for all of the questions they'll fire at you. If you fail to lay down solid foundations based on knowledge and experience, you won't weather the storm.

Source: Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday


"Vision drives decision. Decision drives action."

Chris Voss

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I've walked into plenty of performance facilities that resemble a jumble sale, packed with an eclectic mix of equipment brought in by the five or six coaches who preceded me. Filling the gym up with new kit and technology satisfied their desire to create immediate impact and change. It's an easy option and a symptom of the system, but fundamentally it shows a lack of vision. Having a long-term vision in high-performance sports that sometimes cannot plan past the next game can be challenging, but it's the only way to move forward and create lasting change. Today's decisions are based on the long-term vision I have for the support system I'm responsible for, and those decisions drive the actions needed to bring about change.

Source: Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss


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