Think Inside the Box

I believe that innovation is a fine quality, I really do. My question to you is; have you earned the right to be innovative?

There are many innovators out there, but what I find they all have in common (the real ones, not the expert self-marketers) is that they’ve traveled a well worn road for many years previous to this. They’ve earned the right to innovate by walking the path to see what is missing, or what they can cut out.

I speak from bitter, almost embarrassing, experience. I thought of myself as an innovator once. These crusty old guys, they don’t know about real, functional, new school training. I cringe to think about the 25 year old me. I thought I was reinventing the wheel, when in fact I was just polishing a spoke.

So 10 years later I’m passing on this nugget. Focus less on being an innovator, and spend more time learning how to be a craftsman. If you’re a coach, that’s what you are first. You are not an artist, you are not doing anything new. Think of a wood turner, or an engineer. Their well learned and hard studied craft builds tables and bridges that are no less beautiful or functional for being products of the nitty gritty. Focus on the fundamentals, and every now and again you might flick out a spark of innovation. Once you do, pat yourself on the back, and go back to basics.

When I think of fitness industry innovators, I think of Dan John. I read this by him today. I don’t think there are many voices like his in the fitness industry today. This is a great read.

http://danjohn.net/2014/01/reasonableness-as-a-standard