Educating others is exhausting, but also fulfilling and one of the most worthwhile endeavors we can pursue.

It is well-documented at this point that we care deeply about mining for value at the margins around here. In our day-to-day jobs, we may be ultimately responsible for hundreds of people or just a few. Whether we work in baseball or football or on a line in a restaurant, we are met perpetually with opportunities to impact the lives of others and help them become the best possible versions of themselves by sharing what we’ve learned.

For me, these conversations tend to center on health and well-being. The folks I correspond with are consistently hunting for answers to questions about power, speed and strength if they’re athletes, body composition improvements if they’re not. These chats center on food, weight training, acquisition of sunlight, moving around and being productive. You may notice confluence of these themes and those of this blog.

This isn’t an accident. I work with baseball men in particular. This population sample isn’t always ready to hear the core of a message the first time it’s delivered, myself included. Perhaps it’s not the right time or the right format. That isn’t a reason to not have the conversation. It may sink in on the 5^th delivery, or the 20^th, or the 200^th. If the message is strong, it will become food for thought. Over time, the seed takes root in the mind and gives us the opportunity to dive deeper or provide inspiration for thought.

We know that adolescents and young adults make poor decisions. Ultimately, we are never responsible for the choices of other human beings. Years ago, a player came to me. He had gained 15 pounds over a very short period of time. He was full of excuses – the food on the road was poor, games ran late and options were limited.

These points may have all been true. They likely were. Yet, underlying them was a clear message – he wanted sympathy and excuses for the choices he made. I didn’t offer them, though I didn’t berate him either. Instead, my response was clear. “I can and will support you, but you are responsible for your decisions.” Fine, I may have been slightly more direct in messaging (wink).

Not only will the message eventually sink in, likely when you least expect it, but it is the courageous step. Most individuals will participate in the shifting of responsibility, because it’s simpler to not call people on their bullshit. A good partner steps up to the plate and firmly resists the siren call of the easy way out. We’ve all failed and gone in the opposite direction. I recognize the significant challenge.

This is the way we demonstrate true care for others. As a parent of two young men, my job is not done after the first lesson. Like all teenagers, there are many more interesting things than cleaning up after themselves or eating spinach in lieu of vitamins. As we have discussed previously, I don’t lecture. I do consistently attempt (I often fail) to model behavior and take the opportunity for educational moments that pop up throughout the weeks.

We demonstrate care through the willingness to continue having the conversation. It’s not about the content. Rather, your listener knows that you care enough to work through the boring patches, the mundane moments, the continual monotony of teaching the same lesson. The recipient may not be ready to absorb it initially, but over time, it will land as usable information.

It is frustrating when we continually reach out to offer education to the unwilling. It gives us an excuse to stop providing it (coaches of difficult players, take note). You feel like you’re beating a dead horse, that you’ve already said the same thing a hundred different ways. Our resentment and irritation pulls us off course. The long term value is in staying the course.

Strong Mind,

Kap