The mind. - 11/13/25
Over the last year I've been diving deep into stoicism and the teaching of many great philosophers. Coaching and training have many similarities and cross overs with the teachings of the stoics. In sport or physical training we see so many people go through "character development", building lasting habits, leaving behind old mindsets, opening new doors to grow and move into new chapters. I tell all of my people, if I'm not instilling knowledge for them to be self-sufficient I feel like I'm not doing my job correctly. The same goes for myself, having a coach that walks the walk is important. Being a student for life is one of the greatest traits anyone can have. The curiosity to learn and see perspectives opens many doors for any individual to grow and progress through a career, sport, academics etc.
“If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.” - Seneca. Coaching and training have the opportunity to help clients shift attention from blaming circumstances to finding the path to taking ownership and success. The overlap of coaching/training and stoicism creates a foundation for resilience and proactive change. A shift in perspective and/or mindset is where I start. “I get too” not “I have too”, “Who do you want to be?” rather than “What do you want to get?”. Having the end goal solidified is the second half to step one. Without an end point the path is weary and winding. The two might seem like very basic concepts but how often do you sit down to plan out the goal YOU have, and the route to get there?
Behind any of this is intention. “The wise man looks to the purpose of all actions, not their consequences.” - Seneca. The moral worth of an act lies within the intention not the outcome. If your intention comes from a place of virtue then you are doing right by yourself and the act. A lot of these ideas come from Ryan Holliday's Stoic virtues series, if you haven't read them I would highly recommend them. The action is what you do, which could be training, a healthy diet, sleeping 8 hours. The Intention is why you do it, which could be getting a promotion, being fit for your kids, working towards a total in powerlifting. The outcome is what happens because of the Action and Intention. Although the outcome is not always in our power to control, we move forward toward it. And the cycle of working toward the goal with action and intention repeats, whether we succeed or fail. Every attempt is a chance to grow as an individual. Stoicism gives you the inner compass, Coaching helps you clarify direction, Training provides the means to move.
“If you cast no light, your fire burns in vain.” - Unknown.
