October 03, 2018   |   Tagged Leadership,

Change the Way You Hear Coaches and Teachers

Listening to the correction of a coach is a necessary skill. Read about ways to hear coach's critique without losing your confidence.

If a critique from a coach or teacher crushes you, you will not advance as a student or player. Mentally tough basketball players and students can listen to correction without defensiveness or excessive ego.

According to the Harvard Review by R Nichols and L. Stevens. “If we hear something that opposes our deeply rooted prejudices, notions or convictions… our brains become overstimulated, and we stop listening.”

Here are 4 ways to Change the Way you Listen to your Coach or Teacher

1. Base your self-worth on intrinsic rather than extrinsic achievements. Move your self-worth away from what you do and how you perform. If your self-esteem is wrapped up in how you play or what grades you get, you can’t get better. Instead, evaluate yourself based on your courage, your follow-through, your mental toughness and all the aspects of life you can control.

2. Compartmentalize. If a coach says you are slow and need to improve your footspeed, this information can overwhelm you. Instead, don’t let it affect your courage. Detach from taking this information personally and use it as a tool to get better.

3. Instead of feeling discouraged by a correction or critique, say thank you. Your gratitude will help your mind to use this information to make you better.

4. Mental discipline is like building muscle. Every day fight to make sure your thoughts make you better. If you are weak-minded, you will want to feel bad about what your coach said. You will want to quit or pout or get mad. Instead, focus your thoughts on building your skill. Turn your thoughts to researching ways to get faster, or stronger. Turn your thoughts toward higher levels of thinking. Don’t let your coach or teacher own you. Instead own your future by using their opinion to make you better and stronger.

About NBC Basketball

Basketball is a great sport and NBC staff what to help you play it better. NBC Camps began in 1971 as Northwest Basketball Camp and became Nothing Beats Commitment-- the aspiration to commit to a life well-lived. If you value hard work, grit, confidence, mental toughness, service to others, leadership and resilience, NBC Camps is the program for you. Find out more at www.nbccamps.com/basketball.