Serve, Coach, Lead Newsletter #2: Who Will You Become?

"Who you are in five years from now will be determined by two things: what books you read and who you meet."

This quote by legendary football coach Lou Holtz summarizes how important it is to have a learner's mindset in all aspects of life. He most certainly believes that two of the best ways to develop as a person are to read, and to meet new people.

Carving out time to read is difficult. Over the past couple of years I have gotten better at making time for it. Television is something that occupies a lot of the time that we should spend reading books that will challenge our thinking and help us grow. Here are a few ways to combat wasting time watching television and be more productive:

- As author James Clear of Atomic Habits suggests, do not turn the television on unless you can say out loud what show/sporting event/movie you are going to watch.

- As my good friend David Steinbeck does, simply put your television in a closet, or out of sight. Then, when there is something that he wants to watch, it has to be worth the effort to get the TV out and set it up.

Television is not bad. Entertainment is good for relaxing and unwinding. However, studies have shown that reading novels improves brain connectivity and function.

If you are not sure what book to read next, I highly suggest James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. Reading this book has changed the way I view habit acquisition. The main idea that I pulled from Atomic Habits is: Good habits don’t come down to mental toughness. Good habits are formed through well-planned and organized systems that make preferred habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.

If you are looking for something to watch, Megan and I recently watched The Art of Coaching HBO documentary with Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. Two of the most successful coaches in football history talk about how they motivate players, what they do to run successful organizations, and how they have changed throughout their careers.

Secondly, make the time and effort to meet new people both within and outside of your profession. Work to make genuine connections with people, and try to see the world from their point of view. Asking questions and actually listening to what they have to say will make you stand out in their mind. This is a learned skill, and the only way to improve is through practice!

Many coaches and leaders are more than willing to get on a phone call with you and answer questions that you have, even if you've never met them! Attend conventions, clinics, and workshops to meet people in your industry and to connect with like-minded people. I would personally love to get on the phone with any one of you who wants to talk about your experiences, or simply just to catch up!

Here are a couple of ways to challenge yourself this week:

1. Pick up a new book, or one that you've had on the shelf for a while and dive in. Start small, try to read for five minutes a day, then ten, and so on. You do not need to overwhelm yourself. As reading becomes a part of your daily routine, you will find it easier to avoid distractions, and you will end up reading longer than you plan. If you are reading a non-fiction book that you believe is applicable to your life, take notes! I like to take notes by hand (this study shows the benefits of taking notes by hand based on content retention), then organize and transfer these notes into a running Google Doc on my computer.

2. Make a conscious effort to connect with new people. It is as easy as logging onto Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and "Following" someone who posts content that you can learn from. To take it a step further, you can reach out to people via these platforms if you have questions about their thoughts or ideas. *Not everyone will respond or be open to conversation, but if you never ask, the answer will always be no.

3. Look for ways to connect with new people in person. December and January are popular months for organizations to have their annual conventions and clinics. I am personally looking forward to attending the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) convention January 5-8. This event lines up perfectly with the start of the college baseball season, with high school and professional baseball beginning shortly after. It is an awesome opportunity to learn from the best people in the game, catch up with colleagues, and make new connections. This will be my fourth consecutive convention. Each year, my perspective on the game has been challenged, yet it has also helped confirm things that I am already doing within my programs. Try to find an organization to join this week to help you continue to grow!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this week's newsletter. As mentioned before, I would love for this to be an interactive experience for each of us. Please share any comments, questions, or feedback that you may have about the newsletter. You can reply directly, or simply email me at harrison.stevens3@gmail.com. Also, if you know of anyone that would benefit from these emails, please send them this link to sign up.

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If you would like to reread last week's newsletter, you can find it here.

Thank you so much for your support, and I look forward to connecting with you all next week.

God Bless!