The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order
Battling is Optional
I got a call from Jim Thompson from Columbus, Ohio. “My son is one of the most talented athletes out there, but he can’t do anything right under pressure.” After an hour on the phone, Jim decided to book a flight to Southern California for him and his son Jordon for a 2-day session.
After I asked a series of brief introductory questions, we discussed how maximizing potential begins when a parent or coach stops forcing the athlete into their way of thinking and enters into the child’s world. It became clear that Mr. Thompson’s ISTJ personality profile was polar opposite to Jordan’s ENFP profile. Not only did Jordan see the world differently than his father, he had a contrasting style of completing tasks and was wired with a very different set of proficiencies and deficiencies. Jim went from answering most questions that I asked Jordan to remaining silent.
Jim began to realize how differently he and son viewed the world. With tears in his eyes, Jim said “I’ve been raising my son wrong for the last 14 years! I seriously believed that my way of thinking was the only way, without regard to Jordan’s personality preference. I have been stunting his growth. Jordan, I’m so sorry.” As he apologized to Jordan, they both began to cry.
Jordan told me during a Skype session a few weeks later that the experience changed their entire family chemistry. He said, “My dad now tells me he loves me. He never did that before.” Understanding personality profiles have been known to bring harmony to an otherwise chaotic environment.
“If you need to control everyone and everything, you’ll lose in the long run. Raising athletic royalty is a compromise. Harmony is found when families take the time to look into how each individual is wired and respect how this may affect what they say or what they do.”
“PARENTS, DURING A BATTLE WITH YOUR CHILD, ENCOURAGE SOLUTIONS
VERSUS SIMPLY LISTING PROBLEMS.”
