Category: Coaching & Leadership
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Why I quit sports before the age of thirteen
I quit hockey and basketball before the age of 13. 70% of children in North America do the same. Yet still, coaches, “leaders”, and even parents make the same mistakes over and over. They create an environment that de-emphasizes fun and fulfillment. They emphasize all the wrong things instead. Winning. Pressure to perform to one’s…
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The power of naming your greatest accomplishments
“Feel the rain on your skin. No one else can feel it for you.” – Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield Let’s face it. Even those of us that reflect on the daily, don’t reflect enough. Sure, you might reflect upon the day. What you’re thankful for. What you’re looking forward to. How you’re going to overcome those…
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The best way to build confidence in others
In dozens of different articles on this website, I’ve written about how competence naturally breeds confidence. I’ve also mentioned how confidence naturally breeds competence. If we do something frequently enough, over an extended period of time, we will naturally become better. We might even master it. As that process unfolds, we will grow our own…
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Why hard work should never be at the expense of enjoyment
Rihanna loves work. She sang about it that one time. She repeated that line six times. David Goggins and his disciples feel the same as Rihanna’s song. Work, work, work, work, work. If you work hard and stay disciplined, you will achieve your goals. That’s the only way of living life. To work hard. Hard…
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Why dodgeball is the best game for all ages
One of my favourite things to do as a program facilitator? Create activities based on the interests and desires of our kids. Typically, our kids go through phases. For the first half of the year, it was all about the playground. Working to make everyday different, I’d often create games and activities that centered around…
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Perfectly imperfect is perfect
Growing up, I was often afraid to mess up. In adulthood, I’ve realized that messing up is so much more fun. Being perfect is not only unattainable, but so much more stressful than simply doing the thing well. Here is why I think that being imperfect is the only way to ever be perfect.
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How to identify where you want to go in life
If you could do anything in the world with zero chance of failure, what would you do? This is one of favourite conversation starters, and something I’ve asked to every single person that’s ever been close to me. As we progress through life, it’s incredibly easy to follow the path that’s been laid out in…
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The power of creating innovative play experiences
As early as the days of Plato and Aristotle, play has always been recognized as an important function of human life (I bet you even the dinosaurs liked to party). All of the world’s most acclaimed researchers and innovators recognized that they wouldn’t have been able to make their discoveries without treating their work as…
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The #1 way to increase engagement in programs
If you are going to take anything away from reading this article, I want it to be this: Learn more about your participants. Learn more about the people around you. Learn more about what they like, what makes them tick, and where they want to go.
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How I optimize video analysis for professional players
Here is my process for creating actionable insights for pros (or semi-pro players) to take back into their own environments.
Rhys Desmond 