Want to know what the very best athletes do better than the rest? They are open to feedback and criticism. They believe the only way they are going to progress is to receive feedback from their coaches and their team. They don’t get defensive or take it personally. Instead, they hear it for what it is – an invitation and encouragement to improve.
Being coachable involves being open to feedback and criticism. Craving feedback is a common trait amongst the very best athletes in the world. NBA Basketball All Star player Stephen Curry once said, “I need coaches who can tell me what I am doing wrong so I can get better.” Former England and Liverpool soccer captain, Steven Gerrard, once said, „Feedback is crucial if you want to become your best. Being open to receiving it is what helps you improve.” These athletes epitomize coach-ability.
Athletes who are not open to feedback close the door on the opportunity to improve themselves. If you can’t accept someone telling you what you need to hear, it’s impossible to get better. In many cases, inflated egos have been the enemy of many athletes who wanted to progress in their careers. In other cases athletes are unwilling to make a change that will lower performance level in the short-term before raising performance level in the long-term.
How well do you receive criticism and feedback? How then, do you go about making changes based on that feedback? Understand that how well you accept and apply feedback will determine your level of success. Don’t let an ego or fear of change or a short-term dip in results get in the way of your progress.
An openness to learning is another factor distinguishing the good from the great. As an athlete, if you aren’t open to criticism and receiving feedback, then you aren’t serious about getting better.
A champion minded athlete craves feedback. They always want to know what they can do better.
Original text written by Allistair Mccaw
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