"Anybody can see weaknesses, mistakes, shortcomings in others. That's no unique skill. Seeing only the good things is harder.Wouldn't it be awesome if we had someone like that in our corner? Someone who saw us as an amazing collection of potential and through their belief, we were able to grow into that potential?
Hall of Famer baseball player Reggie Jackson said that the best major league baseball leaders possess that ability. He observed, 'A great manager has a knack for making ballplayers think they are better than they think they are. He forces you to have a good opinion of yourself. He lets you know he believes in you. He makes you get more out of yourself. And once you learn how good you really are, you never settle for playing anything less than your very best.'
That's true in any area of life: business, parenting, marriage, ministry, and so forth. Don't look for the flaws, warts, and blemishes in others. Look for their best."
That's basically what we, as coaches, strive to do for our clients. My goal in helping overachievers is to help them create the vision of what is possible and then take steps toward it. As overachievers, we're often our most difficult critics - expecting so much from ourselves that we focus on our shortcomings instead of our successes. A little coaching goes a long way in terms of encouragement, accountability, and seeing a world of possibility.
But you don't have to be a coach, or be coached, to look for the best in yourself or others. Is there someone you've been a bit too critical of lately? Maybe give them a break by focusing on the good things they bring to the table. What goes around usually comes around, so someday when you least expect it (and probably need it most), someone will be in your corner.
- Who do you know that could use a break or a boost?
- Why is it so hard for us to see the best in people?
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