“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King Jr.
All the things that matter will eventually lead to the start of a great life if you add them up correctly. It is all about the “interest” you receive when you let the things that matter “compound.” When you think about the term “Compound Interest,” money probably comes to mind.
Speaking for another of the greatest minds of our time, Albert Einstein went as far to hint that compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe by saying:
“Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.”
Yes, Compound Interest can be used to describe money. If you are financially smart, invest your money wisely, and allow it to compound over time, you can watch it grow.
But now that I am releasing my latest book, Coach to Coach, I have seen there are other things that compound than just your money. And after I explain them to you, you won’t have to be Martin Luther King Jr. or Albert Einstein to recognize they may be even more important. (And if you compound the items I have discovered correctly, you will probably end up with more money by default!)
I am releasing what I consider my greatest book, Coach to Coach. It is a parable about the most impactful things I have learned not only for being a better coach, but also for a parent, spouse, teacher, teammate and person.
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And how did I learn these wonderful ideas? Through Compound Interest! And now looking back on my career, I realize none of this compounding had to do with investing in the stock market; all of it had to do with investing in myself and others. And that type of compounding is what coaching is all about.
This may come as a surprise. The book was actually easy for me to write. Sound egotistical? Wrong.
Before you start to believe I am over confident, here is the truth: Coach to Coach would have been the hardest thing in the world to write 20 years ago. In fact, writing the book back then would have been impossible.
Why? Because 20 years ago I had not yet acquired anything to compound upon to write it!
So what are all the things that have compounded over the last 20 years that made writing the book so easy now?
Here is a list of the things that have added up and accumulated over time to make Coach to Coach a reality:
All the thousands of books I read.
All the thousands of workouts I performed.
All the hundreds of seminars I attended.
All the hundreds of seminars I instructed.
All the years of coaching I received.
All the years of coaching sessions I taught.
All the hundreds of speeches I delivered.
All the hundreds of relationships I developed.
All the thousands of mistakes I made.
All the thousands of lessons I learned.
I do not write that list to impress you, but impress upon you all the things I have had to do in order to produce the new book. But you see, I also like to think compounding isn’t just a long-term product of your “to-do” list, it also has to do with your “not-to-do” list too.
The list above are all the things I did over the last 20 years that have compounded to make me who I am am and gave me the ability and knowledge to write Coach to Coach.
But there are as many things I didn’t do over the last 20 years that have also compounded to make me who I am and gave me the time and energy to develop the ability, knowledge and relationships that went into writing Coach to Coach.
So, just like continually adding money to your investments will enhance it’s ability to compound, removing unwise spending habits or bad purchases can also enhance your nest egg as well.
And again, compounding is not just about your money. The same idea holds true for the energy and time that you devote to areas of your life such as health, relationships, career and hobbies (like in my case, reading and writing.) Enhancements in all of those areas will be due to the compounding of both the things you choose to do and not to do.
So, here is is another list of what has also compounded over the last 20 years to make Coach to Coach possible:
All the thousands of t.v. shows I skipped.
All the thousands of unhealthy meals I avoided.
All the harmful relationships I ended.
All the harmful drugs I never took.
All the hours of lines on which I didn’t wait.
All the hours of video games I didn’t play.
All the “fantasy” leagues I never joined.
All the “fantasy” social media I didn’t surf.
All the thousands of junk emails I deleted.
All the thousands of junk hours of screen time I missed.
So, your life will compound according to what you do and also what you don’t. And at the end of all that compounding, you will have something to show the world whether you like it or not. All of my do’s and don’ts finally added up to produce this one short book of which I am quite proud.
When you read it, I am hoping you will write me to deliver a complement most people eventually get when they have let a talent, skill or hard work compound over time:
“I can’t believe how good it is!”
Just like an athlete that does something you can’t believe.
Just like the musician that performs at a level you can’t believe.
Just like the businessman that has success you can believe.
But now that you understand the process, most great feats shouldn’t be that hard to believe at all. Just like writing a best-selling book, the three feats above don’t start in a day. What you see is simply the visible extraordinary end result. What you don’t see the hidden ordinary hard work that compounded over decades to make the ordinary into extraordinary. Here are 5 simple questions you can ask yourself today to start your journey toward future greatness:
What is a major area of your life that you would like to improve?
What is your “to do” list that is going to compound in the future?
What is your “not to do” list that is going to compound in the future?
What is going to be your compounded great work that people will be unable to believe?
What is the one thing you are going to start with today?
Whatever you are doing today is compounding in the future. Make sure it is toward something positive that you really want. Twenty years from now is going to happen, you might as well do something now to make sure no one can believe what you do then!
Take a look at your schedule and make sure you are doing the right things that matter and avoiding the wrong ones so your energy and time will compound to give you what you will want in the future.
I hope one of the “good” things that is going to help you on your compounding journey is Coach to Coach.
“Good and evil increase at compound interest. That’s why the little decisions we make every day are of infinite importance.” – C. S. Lewis
Do the good thing and get Coach to Coach, if you like it, please recommend it to someone else. That kind of compounding will create ripples to help a lot of people.
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My mission is to make a world of better coaches. I believe with better coaches, many of the challenges facing us today can be overcome.
Coaching is a thing that matters. And in order to make sure the world knows about Coach to Coach, I will not remain silent about it.
Yours in Strength,
Martin
P.S. If you want more inspiration and want to hear these emails come to life, check out my Into The Roar Podcast.
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