Two Pens In Your Pocket

I haven’t privately trained anyone in years, but I’m out of retirement for a very special client. I found myself in an old habit while I was coaching the other day and happened upon an important insight. I plan every coaching effort ahead of time with reps, sets, timing, everything. 

While it’s not new for me, I found myself with a pen in my hair, making notes, crossing things out, and writing new work to be done as the student moved through the training. These adjustments weren’t micro-lapses in commitment, but rather important amendments. In fact, these changes allowed for a more perfectly rigorous training session. 

What’s the logic? When we plan, we plan with the best information possible. However, I think we all can agree that when you’re in the area of your performance, you are often presented with unknown, unknowable information that is more accurate than the information available when you prepared some time earlier. 

When it comes to planning for anything, there are two very important pens to use. The pen that’s used to plan ahead of time and there’s the pen that adjusts to better, newer information.