Mark Dugdale wrote an article I think everyone should read...
A couple months ago I listened to three people in the same week complain about how they did something for someone and never heard thank you, they didn't listen or didn't use any of the advise.
All three were upset and felt taken advantage of.
I wanted to write about this but wasn't able to find the words for what I want to say. After thinking on this for a couple days I still couldn't string my thoughts together and gave Mark a call because this ties perfectly into "Legacy". (At some point I will sit down and do an interview with Mark on this because it's the main reason I wanted him to be part of team elitefts. His being an Pro Bodybuilder was a bonus not the reason)
After 15 minutes on the phone explaining what I was trying to say Mark nailed it, and that is what you see in this article.
For all the strength coaches and trainers let me explain what Mark is saying in another way.
Let's say someone asks you for advice. First you are faced with if you should answer or not (because this is what you get paid to do why should you provide your service for FREE). If you decide the person is worthy of your free advice you answer. A couple weeks pass and you see the advice you offered wasn't used at all and now you are pissed because you wasted your time.
Let's think back to the seed used in Mark's article. Many people today toss their seeds on the ground and expect them to grow. Seriously, they stand there looking down wondering why nothing is happening. The more motivated ones might even water the seeds but still stand waiting for them to grow.
Day after day they wait and nothing happens. So they get pissed and go onto the next thing because nothing happened. They blame it on bad seeds, bad water, lack of sunlight, poor soil and some (very rare) will even take responsibility and blame themselves for being a poor farmer.
Selfish? Yes
Expanding on what Mark wrote...
Who ever said you will reap the harvest of the seeds you plant today?
Why do you feel entitled to this harvest?
Is it because you planted it?
Do you understand that your harvest may not come until decades from now?
Perhaps after you have left this earth.
How does that make you feel?
If you got upset because the seeds didn't grow right in front of your eyes how do you feel now?
I'm sure it's not so great.
Why do work that you will never reap the benefits from?
Good question isn't it?
NOTE: You work as a strength coach and trainer right? Do you know these professions didn't even exist 50 years ago? I think the first strength coach ever hired was Boyd Eply and the Second was Buddy Morris. While I am not sure on the time line I think this was 40 years ago. I know when I was in college 25 years or so ago personal training as we know it didn't exist. I worked as a "fitness instructor" and what we did (helping people with their training) was part of our hourly wage. For 30-40 years coaches and "instructors" paved the way (planted the seeds) for what you see today. Today trainers can make a living off training clients, they can even do this now online without ever seeing the client. Strength Coaches are working in just about every college and many high schools.
So before you bitch about not reaping the harvest of the seeds you plant take a moment and think of who's harvest you are now reaping from.
What type of seeds will you plant now and what legacy will they leave?
Roy was chapter 4 and and Epley was chapter 5, so for anyone interested in the seeds for _those_ coaches, highly recommend this book that just came out.
Strength Coaching in America
Jason P. Shurley, Jan Todd, and (posthumously) Terry Todd