I just wanted to get you to think about something today:
Let’s say your one of your children, (who is 15, and about to sit their GCSE’s), came home from school one day and shows you their school report. It summarises with the following:
‘Average performance overall but shows potential to do better’. (And most predict grades of C’s an D’s…..when you KNOW he or she can hit B’s and C’s…..and maybe even an A or A*).
You begin to reflect on the comment and you decide there are only 3 options you can choose to improve your childs situation.
1) Ignore the comment……continue life as usual
2) Encourage your child to revise with friends who are getting better results – hope their motivation and knowledge ‘rubs off.’
3) Seek out professional help to coach or ‘mentor’ your child
What would you choose?
Most people in this situation choose Option 3. They see that the opportunity of improving their childs results is going to give them the greatest return on investment. After all, who wouldn’t want to increase their child’s performance if they had the chance? While GCSE’s are not the be-all and end-all, you and I both know you would rather they have them than not. Employers might just look and see a B vs a D and decide not to interview?
This seems like an easy decision. Ignoring the problem (opion 1) is out of the question and getting mates to revise together could do very little (and time can, and will run out) or this could even make things worse. (Lads playing some guitar hero, Call of duty etc!!)
If you were to make a decision for your children, you see a situation, you think rationally and apply the best solution.
Its clear.
But why is it so hard for us as adults, to apply the same principles to similar situations that involve ourselves? That is, when we’re doing ok personally or professionally, but know we could be better, what stops us from seeking the services of a professional coach to improve our performance?
You want to improve your child’s education so you get a tutor. You want improve your daughter’s singing, so you send her to singing lessons. I myself taught myself to play guitar…………..but then went to lessons and my progress totally rocketed within a year. I would say It would have taken me 2.5 -3 years to make the same progress as I did in 1. Why?
1. Because I got focus
2. I played with other musicians in a band regularly
3. I played some gigs which made me accountable (if I messed up – I looked crap!)
4. It was fun to spend time with similar people who wanted the same goals as me (Play some rock music and have fun doing it)
You know that when you want to improve something, you seek expert advice and this results in accelerated performance and your child is happier as a result. Why then, is it so hard for us, as adults to acknowledge that we too need to increase our performance and the only way to do it, is by seeking support from experts?
Maybe it’s the old case of ‘I don’t have time’……..if it is important to you…..then you had better MAKE TIME.
I make the most of my time with a simple diary, it keeps me on track.
So, if you re reading this, and you’re looking to lose some weight, and get fitter and stronger along the way……I would say you need to ignore option 1.
Do you agree?
” If you always do what you ve always done, you ll get what you’ve always got”
‘Til next time!
John
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