When seeking out a coach, be decerning; make certain the two of you are a good fit; make certain the coach you select shares your values, understands your needs. Once all that is in order, you then need to commit to the hard work of being coachable.
Dawn Evans Beach is a Trainer | Eventing Coach | Owner at Winswept Staples in Delaware. I wanted to share the truths she outlines below because they are valid in any discipline.
- Coach Kristin
Being Coachable
Trainer/Coach Dawn Evans Beach
It’s not enough to buy the horse, the tack and the clothes. It’s not enough to talk about the things you want to achieve. It’s not enough to sign up for lessons and register for clinics.
You WILL NOT make progress in anything if you are not coachable.
Some students literally do every tiny thing the trainer has ever suggested to improve their horses and their riding. They do the yoga and the cross-training, they take notes from their lessons, make the adjustments with the tack, and do everything they can not let the trainer tell them the same things twice. These riders might not have the fanciest horses, the most expensive saddles, the perfect bodies, the nicest farms, but you know what? They succeed because they are coachable.
Other students get defensive about why they can’t or won’t make the changes suggested. These students argue about the techniques, exercises, or plans for the day. These students make excuses before the lesson even begins. These students refuse to really try to put effort into the instruction given. After all, they think they know better, even though they hired a trainer because they know they need help.
These students are not coachable. If you are not going to be coachable, you might as well just set your money on fire because you will not succeed.