Bill Nelson

This month's question:

What keeps you so motivated now that you're out of hands-on coaching?

Now before I bore everyone to tears with the - this is what I do' routine, let me say that the answer to this question has relevance to everyone.

The reality is my answer to this question took me quite a number of years to formulate to a point of total clarity.

Time has shown that I have not done any hands-on swimming coaching for seven years. But, it has also shown that each day since I retired from professional swimming coaching, brings with it all that I would want or imagine.

And this is; not by chance but has come about through as I said previously, a long process of self-discovery and understanding.

One of the things I spend quite a bit of time doing these days, is talking to people about is: - what are they really looking for?'



from:

• Job


• Life


• Travel


• Interests


• Faith


• Relationships


• Education


• Hobbies


• Sport

It was at the time I was contemplating life after swimming coaching, that I decided to take some of my own advice and hence, started asking myself, - what was it I really wanted from something that I was going to spend copious amounts of time and effort doing?'

As I commenced this journey of self discovery, one of the first questions that I asked myself was: "Did I get into coaching because of my interest in the sport of swimming?"

Now, some seven years post my swimming coaching career, I really do understand that although I did enjoy the sport of swimming, it was not the main reason I got into coaching swimming in the first place.

So with that question answered and understood, I then started to look at what was it I was really looking to do as a professional career?

So as I was contemplating what was going to be the next phase of my professional life. I soon realised it was more important to outline what it was that I was really looking to gain from the experience, as opposed to: - what it was I was actually going to do.'

Areas that started to jump to the front of mind:

• A measure of achievement


• A sense of purpose


• To be able to help others


• A degree of challenge


• A fun and interesting experience


• A magnitude of happiness


• A degree of respect


• An element of pride


• A level of self defined success


• A scale of remuneration


• A degree of control


• A quantity of flexibility

I spent many hours exploring every aspect of what I wanted to gain from a new profession.

What did I want to gain emotionally?
How would I learn from the experience?
What was I looking for a far as contentment was concerned?
Professionally how would I benefit?
How would it assist/grow my role as teacher/coach?
Spiritually how would I profit?
How would I be stimulated?
What growth as a person could I expect from the experience?
What would it bring to our family and our family life?
How and why was it going to be enjoyable?

Once I had outlined and truly understood what it was that I really wanted to gain from the experience, I could then begin to look at what opportunities were available for me, to get these rewards and outcomes.

Like most situations, there were numerous choices available for me to pursue in the next stage of my professional life.



The reality was though, the more I outlined what I was really looking to obtain from the next stage of my professional career, the more I realised that the vehicles to deliver all that I was looking for were getting less and less. However, in the process my understanding and clarity of what I really wanted to do was becoming greater by the minute.

As my list, my understanding and my clarity grew, it became really obvious the one thing I really wanted to do was work with people to help them get better.

When you think about my past as professional swimming coach, the answer becomes a bit of a no brainer. But then again, when you look at the fact it was not my love of swimming that got me into swimming coaching in the first place. The answer becomes even more obvious.

So was there a real need to go through the process of really understanding what I was hoping to gain from a new professional experience?

Absolutely.

And that is the main point of the answer to this question of: What keeps you so motivated now that you're out of hands-on coaching?

My motivation, happiness, enjoyment etc comes about each and everyday from what I do. And this does happen on a day to day basis, simply because I took the time to first find out what it was I really wanted to gain from the experience and then second, from outlining what were the opportunities or professions there were available, to deliver what I had decided I wanted from the experience.

Seven years down the track I would have to say I am thankful for doing the groundwork, because I wouldn't swap what I do for anything. Achieving your goals and in the process, helping others achieve theirs has to be one of life's most rewarding experiences. However in saying that, I also know that as I do:

The Journey Continues!