Leading by Fergi – Lesson #8

Feeling Rusty

I’m feeling rusty.  Fergi and I usually do our agility training weekly, but due to vacation and an off week, we haven’t been to class for two weeks. So not only is missing class leaving me dry for blog material, it’s also making me feel a little rusty, and I don’t like it.  It’s like we’re – I’m – experiencing a downward spiral, losing all the skills we’ve worked so hard to master.

A coaching client recently shared that she was feeling like she was in a funk, and it reminded me of how I was feeling about my training with Fergi.  Watching the Olympics, however, gave me a different perspective.

Those amazing athletes train relentlessly for months, even years, leading up to the big event – but once the big event is over, they intentionally take time off for rest, renewal, and downtime.  Sure, I’m no Katie Ledecky, but maybe there’s an important lesson here for pros and amateurs alike:  it’s OK to take it down a notch from time to time, and not expect to operate at full capacity all of the time.  Slowing down doesn’t mean we’re rusty; it means we’re gearing up to eventually go faster.