Academic professors help train the mind, while coaches are responsible for developing the body, mind and emotions of their clients. Coaches also usually have far more active personalities, hands on responsibility for their clients progress and safety.
Coaches combine the attributes of a teacher, bio-technician, recruiter, motivator, organizer, fund-raiser, and sometime sage. They invest in bodies, minds, spirit and lives. The results of their efforts are publicly demonstrated at each and every game, event or competition. They have profound influence. They teach the laws of reality. They can help shape clients’ characters and lives.
The Coach is your guide along the mountain path to achievement. Some guides are familiar with the lowlands; others show you the entire way. The best guides know their own weakness and therefore have insight into yours; they can point out obstacles but also the interesting side roads and beautiful scenery along the way. If your guide insists that you travel on the same path that they did, then that guide’s knowledge is limited. Seek a guide who can assess your qualities and point out the best way for you. A teacher filled with natural awareness can light your way.
Second only to parents, teachers of movement can have a profound influence on a client’s self-concept and outlook on life. Genuine movement teachers are able to convey useful lessons of living. Average teachers/trainers/coaches just teach skill.
Pick a Coach for yourself or your child with the same care you’d use to pick surgeon. You wouldn’t want a mediocre surgeon to operate on you – even if they were nice, had offices near your house, or charged a few dollars less. Yet this is how many pick Movement Coaches/Personal Trainers. Finding a superior coach for yourself or your child is worth some research and money, because an inspired teacher can have an influence that will remain for the rest of your lives.
Good Coaches speak the language of intellect – words – and communicate clearly so that you understand. They use hindsight to learn by their mistakes and improve.
Excellent Coaches speak the language of the body – by showing the muscles, bones, and nerves how an activity/exercise should feel when done properly. They use foresight to anticipate the consequences of their actions.
Great Coaches speak the language of emotions – by inspiring, motivating, an encouraging love of the exercise or activity. They use insight to assess the wisdom of the ages
Master Coaches do ALL three.
Dan Millman – Author Body, Mind, Mastery