A lesson learned, once again. The day before leaving for my training/sailing trip mentioned in my previous post I was racing up the stairs in my home getting ready to finish packing for the trip when I heard a crack and searing pain from my left knee. I was devastated because I was afraid that meant the end of my trip. I consulted a physical therapist the same day to determine the severity of the injury. She checked for ligament damage, and felt confident that while I had probably torn the cartilage in my knee, but if I kept it in a brace I could probably still go on the trip. It was up to me.

I went. There are some things that are worth the cost whether physical, financial or emotional. All my life I had wanted to experience life on a tall ship (think Pirates of the Caribbean, only without plundering) and to be able to do that in a race was an incredible opportunity. Combine that with developing greater skills in coaching and the decision was made.

Did I pay a price for that decision? Yes, definitely.

Do I regret the choice that I made? Not in the slightest.

In our lives sometimes we have to take a gamble even if in the eyes of others it might not be the wisest thing to do. But it’s our hearts and our guts sometimes that determine if the experience is worth the cost. Do you agree?

Incidentally, my therapist was right. My ligaments were fine but I had a complex tear of my medial meniscus (cartilage). I had a successful surgery to repair the damage three months later.

Certainly one of the most powerful experiences of this past year, and of my life was the two weeks I spent training in Team Coaching. Led by three top coaches from the US and abroad. it was both educational and also experiential.

The training took place on a Tall Ship the Wylde Swan out of the Netherlands. We had classes and also crewed the ship in a race in the North Atlantic from England to Portugal (1200 nautical miles). We worked as a team helping to man the ship putting into practice many of the skills that we were discussing in our studies.

Definitely a ‘bucket list’ experience, both for me as a lifelong sailor, and as a coach.

This past year has been a time of major changes for me and my coaching business.

New Location

One major change has been moving my coaching business office. Previously I was located in a historic 18th-century building that housed the local Chamber of Commerce as well. One of the best things about it was that it was located on Ladd Road.

In the past month, I have moved to my new spacious office suite at 2014 Goose Creek Rd in Waynesboro. These facilities not only include a larger space to meet with clients but also a separate room for small group seminars.

Give me a call and stop by and see my new office.

Executive Coaching

I have been involved in more and more Executive Coaching this past year. With that in mind, I am pursuing post-graduate training in Executive Coaching through the College of Executive Coaching. This included spending over a week in a concentrated study with excellent teachers and a great cadre of current and future coaches. My training is ongoing including coursework in advanced coaching and another in Peak Performance Coaching.

A few years ago, I reignited my efforts to become physically fit and active. With the help of a trainer I still see nearly every week, I developed a fitness regimen. Now I can use the machines and have a whole list of exercises that I can do on my own. However, what I have discovered is that I have a tendency to fall into a bit of a rut, doing the same group of “typical” exercises when I exercise without my trainer.

My trainer keeps me balanced. He puts together a program that ensures that I maintain physical balance. Leaving the gym one day after he worked me, I analyzed the exercises that he put me through and discovered he had me working my core, my legs, and my arms equally. The next day I could tell which muscles, by the degree of soreness, that I do not routinely work out.

The realization that I was not as physically balanced as I thought made me wonder about the other aspects of my life. Balance is necessary for work, family, health, leisure, friends and volunteering for them all to fit together creating a harmonious mix. If I neglect one or more areas I feel it in other areas.

How is your balance? Are there areas of your life that so overshadow others to the point that they create issues in your life? Are they areas that you consciously consider the most important to your physical and emotional health?

The end of the year is a good time to reassess your balance and your priorities? Then you have a good place to start planning from as you face 2017.

In the Olympics, the competitions are frequently divided into individual and team sports. While I understand the distinction, that gives the impression the individual sports athletes do it all on their own. Successful athletes all have a team supporting them through the competitive process. Coaches, nutritionists, exercise experts, physical therapists are crucial to all successful endeavors.

How much more do we need people in our lives to support and encourage us? I tried the solo routine in the past only to discover that it didn’t work for me. So now I have a coach, an exercise trainer, a physical therapist, a supportive spouse and family, a web designer, and a group of friends in my corner. I turn to my crew when I need encouragement, brainstorming, accountability or occasionally a swift kick. For me, I have learned that life works best when played as a team sport.

Who is on your team supporting you? I’d wager you have more people supporting you than you might realize.

My challenge for you is to make a list of the people who support you in your life and write their name and the role that they fill in your life. And then, ask yourself what roles are not being filled. Commit yourself between now and the end of the year to ask yourself what else you need and actively seek others to fill those roles.