Stop Being a VIctim

It is the habit of every generation to complain about the awfulness of those that come after.

Well, if you’re a coach, you can’t be in the complaining business, because you are an influencer of the next generation. The best way to stop developing victims, is to stop acting like one.

If you decide to quit making excuses and take radical ownership, you’ll not only raise your standards, but you’ll find that coaching becomes a lot more fun and less of a grind.

I’ve found most powerful leaders are individuals of high agency. What’s that? It’s knowing that in any situation you have a choice, you always have an option, and are 100% responsible for your decision. Agency is choice, and the deep belief that you that you can find a way.

For example, If you were locked in a third world prison, and had to call one person you know to get you out, who would you call? I’d call my friend Jordan, he believes there’s always a way and usually finds it, often far from the well traveled path. He questions everything, is contrarian, contakerous and lives a life of adventure. Your answer to the question aboave will probably reveal the highest agency person you know. Here’s another question, would anyone pick you?

A victim mindset would be the opposite of high agency. You hear a lot of victim talk out of coaches, victim of a bad ref, victim of difficult parents, victim of multi-sport athletes, victim of no talent.

You may even be a victim of bad weather, read this excerpt below.

SAVI coaching at its root, is really high agency coaching, to develop high agency players, that become high agency individuals.

Players that take ownership don't make excuses. Players that look for solutions and are clever. These are the type of players we all want to coach.

So don’t be a liar.

Don’t say you want high agency leaders, and then build your entire system on blind obedience. Don’t say you coach for impact over winning games and then forget to leave them better than you found them. In next few minutes, you’ll get to decide whether or not you’re a liar. These next four questions will help.

Why do you coach? If you don’t know, you won’t have the deep commitment that comes from a clear identity. You won’t realize your full potential as a leader until you can source your actions from powerful principle.

SAVI answer: To help players and coaches have a joy-filled sport experience.

What are your standards? If you don’t know, ask yourself how you’re willing to lose? It will help you identify what really matters. Your standards are not your culture, they build and influence your culture, but your standards are what you control, the culture is the product of the greatest influence in a group of people. Don’t focus on culture, build standards.

SAVI answer: One standard is, Identity Commits. We are building individuals that know their value is beyond their performance. They are high agency and have the courage to go all-in on what they believe is right. Regardless of the majority, the culture or their feelings.

What are your systems? How are you creating or adopting systems to teach, train and compete? Do they grow right out of your standards? Is your language, how you invest your time and your style of play are all in line with your why and your standards.

SAVI answer: It depends 🙂 Race and Space & LockLeft are two uncommon ways to play, they require players to embrace agancy and go against social pressures. They are fast paced and player led. We don’t rely on play calls from the sideline but put the ownership on the players on the floor. They are principle based, meaning we establish a common goal but allow freedom for how you execute.

What are your outcomes? How do you know you’re winning? You’ll know by what you choose to measure. That which you measure will improve. Once you know what you want to see in the actions of those you lead, on and off the field, or the court or the track, then you’ll see those things bear fruit.

SAVI answer: High agency players that become high agency individuals.

We need leaders that are willing to go against the flow and stand up for truth in a culture of full of lies. The young people we are leading, teenagers, find it very hard to choose to go against social pressures. But, if they can’t learn to go against the crowd as a teenager, then they won’t go against the crowd as an adult.

So I choose not to be a victim or a liar. So that we can develop a generation of high agency truth tellers. What did you decide?

Sincerely, Tyler

Below is an anonymous poll, please tell the truth, I really want to know what drives most coaches. Please forward this to a coach who will also answer honestly, chances are, they’re high agency.